One of the things that has fallen off my radar in the past several years is keeping tabs on what’s happening on retail store shelves, at least for stores in my general area. I can’t remember the last time I’ve gone out of my way to see what Staples has in stock, or what Michael’s is into these days. If I had, I might have seen these EK Tools Journaling Pens (Amazon affiliate link) before now.

The only reason I saw them is because I know a guy that now works as a designer for the brand, and that guy’s name is Chad Doane. Yes, that Chad Doane. Chad sent me a pack to see what I think about them and how they stack up to the competition in the art/drawing pen category.

Short version: Solid, but not spectacular.

These are good art pens, and I’ve enjoyed writing with them. Any plastic tip pen makes my handwriting look awesome, and these are no exception. I especially like the barrel shape, which is tapered from the center of the barrel upward towards each end of the pen. That does two things: Gives the pen a comfortable, flared-out grip area, and a cap that allows you to stand the pen up on its end. Ok, that last point isn’t the most important part of this pen, but it sure is fun to set them up and watch them come cascading down as you bump your desk.

Performance wise, the EK Tools pens are mixed bag. This pack comes with five sizes: 0.2 mm, 0.25 mm, 0.35 mm, 0.45 mm, and 0.65 mm. For journaling, crafting, scrapbooking, etc., that is a good range of sizes. That’s what these are made for after all. For my purposes, which is mostly writing, I enjoyed only two of the sizes: the 0.25 and 0.45. Oddly enough, the middle sized 0.35 felt different than the other four. The tip was softer, and the line wasn’t as clean and sharp. The 0.25 was fantastic to write with (which is what you see in the review), and the 0.45 had the firmness I wanted to see out of the 0.35.

For the price - approximately $1.80 per pen on Amazon as I write this - I reiterate what I said earlier, in similar terms: Good, not great. For my money, I’d pay the $2.50 per pen for the Sakura Pigma Micron, considered the best in class for this type of pen, or my favorite, the Kuretake Zig Mangaka, for $2.00.

Drawing pens are a well-established category in the stationery world, and tough to break into. While I like the EK Tools Journaling Pens, they fall just short of many of the other top-tier options in this group.

(EK Tools 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!

In honor of the latest Field Notes Three Missions launch I have a very cool three-pack of notebooks to give away. The Fall 2016 limited edition was titled “Lunacy”, and was a hot seller, as I expect this one will be too.

I have one sealed, three-pack to give away this week, which I will be shipping directly to the winner. Read the rules below and enter away. Good luck!

It's always great to learn about new companies that are producing stationery today, and Online is one of the newest ones I've encountered this year. Online was founded in 1991 by Thomas and Alexandra Batsch in Germany with a clear focus on youthful design and high-quality writing instruments. After perusing their offerings, it quickly became clear that they enjoy vibrant and modern designs that attract the younger audience.

The Online Switch Plus is no different. The bold petrol color that I have stands out on any desk and begs you to pick up. The name of the color is a bit peculiar since I normally associate petrol with a much darker shade, but regardless of the name, it's a striking turquoise with plenty of sparkle and shine. The color is just a tad darker than the recent Lamy Pacific Blue Al-Star that we reviewed last year. But, that color only appears on the body of the pen. The cap is a different material. The color of the cap is matte black, but it has a soft touch that I really like. I'm not sure what the material or paint is called, but I've seen it used in other pens. The cap also features a small accent of turquoise where the chrome clip is attached to the cap. It's a nice touch of color.

Once you uncap the pen, you notice immediately that the grip section is contoured in a similar fashion to the Lamy Safari or Al-Star. The black grip uses the same material as the cap, giving it a soft, smooth touch. The amount of contour used on the grip of the pen is almost too aggressive for my tastes, but that feeling fades shortly after a few strokes. The black nib looks a tad undersized compared to the rest of the pen, and I would bump it up one size if I had the choice.

I would be remiss if I chose to ignore the stylus on the end of the pen body, so I'll mention it briefly. It's a touchscreen stylus, and it works on touch screens just fine. Does it need to be there? Online seems to think so, although I disagree. Either way, it's there if you need it and it won't get in your way if you don't need it.

Writing with the pen is exactly what I expected based on the price range. It's a standard steel nib with a dependable ink flow and a steady line. As far as steel nibs go, it's extra stiff, even on the fine nib in my unit. I'm not able to get any flex out of it, but it does a good job at different angles at keeping the ink flowing. Nothing to write home about, but it worked great out of the box.

One interesting thing about the pen is the included ink cartridge. It looks similar to a Lamy cartridge, but it's not the exact same. You can actually use either end of the cartridge depending on what kind of pen you are using. If you're using a Lamy, plug in one end of the cartridge. If you're using a pen that uses international short cartridges, plug in the other end. It's a cool idea, but not one I see myself using all that often. At least there's a really good amount of ink included in these large cartridges. There are also several colors to choose from if you'd like to purchase a pack.

The Online Switch Plus is a great entry-level pen that features a unique aesthetic and solid performance. At the $20 range, it has plenty of competition, but it's still original enough to merit the purchase. Even better, there are plenty of color and nib choices. Each color is available in EF, F, or M nib sizes, and you can choose from Petrol (shown here), Violet, Black, Ruby, and Copper.

(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!

(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.)

Almost every note I took in high school was made with a Sakura Gelly Roll pen. Often in metallic or glitter. Yeah, not much has changed in (mumble) years. As far as stationery nostalgia goes, it doesn't get any better for me. There are better gel pens, certainly, but they don't make me smile the same way, and I can't always be practical. Or even most of the time, if my glitter notes are any indication.

The Gelly Roll was the world's first gel ink pen. That's a legacy I really appreciate. I remember reveling in the smooth writing and saturated colors. It felt like a miracle after the dry, scratchy, and skippy inks I'd been using my whole life. And they've improved the ink recipe over the decades.

The ink is still rich and smooth, and also boasts a whole menu of desirable characteristics: waterproof, archival, fade-resistant, fraud resistant, and formulated not to feather or bleed through. It does still occasionally skip--I think when the gel clumps and prevents the ball tip from rolling properly. But it's rare and corrects quickly. I haven't had to do any infuriating circle scribbles to get the pen going, just a quick double-back over a letter or two.

The gel does still run out more quickly than other ink styles. After a day of writing, I can see (through the handy clear barrel) the level has gone down somewhat. But it's not as fast as I remember. I chose one Gelly Roll pen to be my only pen for an entire weekend--a busy weekend--and I only used about half a centimeter of the ink. In my school days, I'd have exhausted the pen in that time. Part of the longevity is, I'm sure, in the new recipe, but part is the finer tip.

These pens have a finer point than the Gellies that were available back in the day. The .06 mm is fantastic for writing. It's still a smooth writer, but the lines are cleaner and crisper. My notes don't look like they were written in bubble letters or marker. They're still wild colors, though.

This bundle contains the new colors for 2018. Baby pink, baby blue (these two are Ballsign pens, according to the barrel branding--the American version of the pen. I've heard they're not as good, but so far I can't tell the difference), brown, emerald, fresh green, lilac, yellow green, opera red, orange, pale blue, and yellow. The colors are all bright and vibrant. Fresh green is a bit difficult to see, but will be great in coloring books. And these are fine enough to use in adult coloring books with wee spaces.

The bodies are the same old classic builds, with all the good and the bad. The clear barrel is great for watching the ink drain. The caps look like bright candy. The caps are tiny and easy to lose, and sport one of my least favorite clips in the entire pen world. The clips are thin, bendy, sharp, and might only fit over one sheet of paper. They'll bend out of shape and never go back. I'd rather they weren't even there--but they made for excellent fidgets in class. The cap, end cap, and visible ink all make it very easy to tell which color you're grabbing.

This bundle sells for $21 and individual pens sell for $1.95. I think that's worth it for a nostalgia bundle, but I won't be loading up on every color of these. The classic design is fun, but there's a reason pen design continues to evolve. The Pilot Juice is a better pen and costs less. I still love using these, though, and I'll probably grab more when these ones get used up. Sometimes I just need that stationery smile.

(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.)

I’ve never owned or written with a Pineider fountain pen, so I was very excited to receive the La Grande Bellezza on loan from Vanness Pens. “La Grande Bellezza” means “the great beauty” and this pen certainly is beautiful. “La Grande Bellezza” is made of resin, but it doesn’t feel like other resin pens. Pineider mixed in marble dust to create the gemstone-like colors. This also makes the resin harder and weightier so that it almost feels like celluloid. The resulting finish is extraordinary with swirls of color and chatoyance.

A unique box unfolds to reveal the pen nestled in leather-like cream material. In addition to information about the pen, the box contains a nice selection of Pineider stationery and envelopes. It’s a really nice presentation—much nicer than I’ve seen with far more expensive pens.

The pen itself is thoughtfully designed. Normally, I do not like metal grip sections, but the grip on this pen is shaped to hold your fingers steady. Plus, the area closest to the nib is textured, making it easy to maintain your grip.

The cap has a silver finial with the Pineider name in raised cursive.

The clip is spring loaded and emulates a goose quill. I love the attention to detail here.

The textured cap ring has “Pineider” on one side and “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog” in tiny lettering on the other. I didn’t even realize the “brown fox” quote was there until I starting taking macro shots. So even though I find the quote a tad strange on a ring band, it is tiny and certainly does not overwhelm the design. I think I’d like it better if it was a quote from The Lord of the Rings in Elvish.

One of the coolest things about the cap is its magnetic closure. When you slip the cap on the pen, you can feel the magnet pull it into position—no screwing or unscrewing necessary. Posting works the same way: a magnet holds the cap on the barrel of the pen while you write. Unfortunately, posting throws off the balance of the pen, and the cap rattles when posted (though not when the pen is capped).

The barrel is resin with a metal grip. There’s no branding on the body of the pen. A plain silver medallion adorns the bottom of the barrel. This is a medium-sized pen. It is 5.5 inches/139.8mm capped, 5 inches/126.5mm uncapped, and 6.5 inches/165.1mm posted. It weighs 23 grams uncapped and is nicely balanced.

The pen comes with a Pineider-brand converter (or you can use standard international cartridges). The converter fits tightly and holds a little over 1 ml of ink.

I was especially intrigued by the nib. It is a fine, 14k gold, palladium-plated nib with flex. The design is gorgeous with wing cut outs and beautiful scroll work. Pineider calls it a “quill nib.”

The nib is bouncy when you write using normal pressure. When you press into it, the soft gold and wing cut outs give you some very nice flex.

Honestly, this is the first modern flex nib I’ve tried that feels as soft and malleable as vintage flex. I am not saying that this nib offers the flex of a wet noodle, but it does provide nice line variation without having to press the nib too hard. It is much softer and flexible than my Aurora 88 flex or my Franklin-Christoph flex nib (see comparison review here).

The feed and converter keep up well as long as you have a full converter of ink. I found that after a page or so of writing, I had to manually push ink down into the converter to keep the ink flowing. I tried the pen with two different inks. Krishna Jungle Volcano, which I selected because it goes so well with this pen, worked fairly well at first. But I noticed lots of skipping on downstrokes after writing a page and a half.

Iroshizuku Tsukushi seemed to work much better in the pen, flowing well for several pages, though I did notice some skipping on downstrokes once the converter was about half empty.

I took my “La Grande Bellezza” on vacation to Lake Powell and filled it with Jungle Volcano before we left on our trip. I wrote in my journal with it one day during the first week. But by the second week, the nib had dried out. I wet the tip, and the pen cooperated at first, but then it started skipping quite a bit. When I checked the converter, most of the ink had evaporated. Sure, the Arizona/Utah border is dry, but the pen was ensconced in a pen case in the dark, cool closet of our RV. I suspect that the magnetic cap system (while convenient) does not provide a tight enough seal.

You can purchase a Pineider “La Grande Bellezza” in six stunning colors: Hematite Grey, Lapis Blue, Malachite Green, Rodolite Red, Dolomite Green, and Sunset Red from Vanness Pens for $398.00. A seventh version called “The Key of Heaven” is white and gold resin with a two-tone 18k nib. It’s a limited edition and costs $638.00. Nib sizes range from extra fine to broad with a stub option as well.

I must say that overall I am very impressed with this Pineider fountain pen. The marble-infused resin is simply gorgeous, and the pen design is outstanding. The nib feels very much like my vintage Montblanc 146 (which cost a ton more than the Pineider does), though the skipping is frustrating. Nevertheless, I’ve grown quite fond of this pen, and I will likely purchase one for my collection.

Pros

• “La Grande Bellezza” is truly a beautiful pen. The resin and marble dust create a beautiful combination of color, strength, and chatoyance. This pen does not feel like a resin pen. It honestly feels much more like celluloid but at half the cost.
• All the extra details make this pen feel special. The finial reminds me of Visconti finials. The goose quill clip is exquisite and functional. The cap band, while wide, suits the pen, and even though I’m not fond of the “brown fox” quotation, the print is so tiny that it is unobtrusive. The silver medallion at the base of the pen is another handsome touch.
• The pen feels wonderful in the hand. At 23 grams, it has good heft, and it is well balanced. The metal grip is shaped perfectly to keep your fingers in place and the band of textured metal stops your fingers from slipping.
• I love the nib on this pen. It is springy and soft and it provides good line variation if you press into it. Of all the modern flex nibs I’ve tried (and I’ve tried many of them), this nib offers the best vintage-like flex. Again, it’s not a wet noodle or superflex, but in terms of how it feels when you write, it comes very close to writing like a vintage nib. Compared to the Aurora 88 flex pens and the Wahl-Eversharp Oversized Decoband, which also feature flex nibs, Pineider’s “La Grande Bellezza” is much less expensive.
• The magnetic cap is quite convenient, especially if you open and close your pen quite often.

Cons

• This Pineider “La Grande Bellezza” fountain pen is a sizable investment at nearly $400.
• While the nib is soft and springy, providing nice line variation, unfortunately it skips, especially on downstrokes, after about a page and a half of writing. This seems to be related to the amount of ink in the converter. In order to keep the ink flowing, I had to manually push the ink down into the feed using the converter. Depending on the wetness of the ink, I had to do this every few paragraphs (dry ink) or every second page or so (wet ink).
• Although the magnetic cap is convenient, it does not seem to provide a tight enough seal. This allows ink to evaporate over time resulting in a dry nib and an empty converter.
• You can post the cap on this pen, but it rattles noisily and throws off the balance.

(Vanness Pens loaned this product 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!

Image via Field Notes

You KNOW we were going to rave about this release, right? It’s one of the most Field Notsey of all the Field Notes releases, and a prime example of what they do best. Also, does a true orange Lamy ink exist? Tune in to find out!

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

Harry’s: Claim your trial set!

Mack Weldon: Smart underwear for smart guys. Get 20% off your first order with the code PENADDICT.

When Field Notes does something cool it makes me want to do something cool as well, like giving away a 3-pack of Lunacy, the Field Notes Fall 2016 edition. And the lunatic taking these home is:

Congrats Will! I’ll send you an email to collect your shipping address. Thanks to everyone who entered!

Image via JetPens

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:

Anderson Pens is launching their latest Retro 51 collaboration, the Terabyte Tornado 2.0. The first one was a hit, and this one is sure to be no different.

JetPens has the newest Pelikan special edition in stock, the crystal clear Classic M205 Demonstrator. Hooray silver-colored trim!

Pen Chalet released the fun and uniquely-styled Opus 88 Fantasia, featuring a horizontal-striped cap and threaded cap posting.

Goldspot has the Caran d’Ache 849 Nespresso Ballpoint Pen in stock, which is one of their nicest releases in a long line of nice releases.

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:

— Lamy Orange Ink (The Clumsy Penman’s InKfusion Site)

— Mirtha Dermisache’s Writing Is a Rorschach test (Hyperallergic)

— Fascinating Letterring Graffiti Art By Ernest (Design You Trust)

— Review: Stilform Kosmos Ink Fountain Pen (The Pencilcase Blog)

— Album covers designed by Andy Warhol (Kottke)

— The archeological finds of the North/Southline Amsterdam (Below the Surface)

— First Impressions: Karas Pen Company “Reaktor” Series (The Gentleman Stationer)

— Sound and Vision: Black Flag’s “Nervous Breakdown,” Cover Artwork by Raymond Pettibon (Juxtapoz Magazine)

— Ink Review #335: Ancient Song Winter October (Mountain of Ink)

— James Joyce’s Crayon Covered Manuscript Pages for Ulysses and Finnegans Wake (Open Culture)

— Darkstar Notebook Review (Pens! Paper! Pencils!)

— How Lego Bricks are Made (Core77)

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

One of the challenges with reviewing products is keeping it fresh. I never run out of things to review, but at the same time, I often review products that are nearly identical aside from aesthetics.

The Platinum 3776 lineup is the epitome of this.

The Platinum 3776 Oshino great pen from a great brand. A brand I love, and a brand I have praised on these pages and in other forms repeatedly. Heck, I even named Platinum the 2017 brand of the year in the Pen Addict members newsletter. But we are at the point now where I am reviewing barrel colors. Luckily, their barrel colors are very cool.

Let’s get the core features out of the way. Platinum has two primary things that separate them from the competition: The nib, and the slip & seal cap mechanism.

Taking the second one first, this is a fantastic addition to any fountain pen. In the clear-barrel Oshino, you can see the mechanism in action, with an extended cap liner and spring giving the pen a tight seal when stored away. The enemy of fountain pen nibs is air, which can cause the nib to dry out and the ink to not flow without priming. Not in the 3776 lineup. The slip & seal gives the cap complete airtightness. I’ve left a 3776 inked for months without use, and upon uncapping and writing, it was like I had inked it for the first time.

As flawless as the cap seal is, the nib is even better. For my money, it is the best of the big three (Pilot, Platinum, Sailor) in this price point. I prefer both Sailor and Pilot from a design and variety standpoint, but Platinum makes a better nib. No matter the size, they are perfect out of the box every time in my experience. And, they offer a good mix of sizes for many models, such as Ultra Extra Fine, Soft Medium, and Music. Not all models have all options, but Platinum seems to be expanding their offerings.

The one con that comes up when mentioning the 3776 it is that it is lightweight. At approximately 20 grams, it is in the weight range of the Pilot 74 and Sailor Pro Gear Slim - the entry level gold nib pens for those respective brands - while being priced like next tier options, like the Pilot 912 and Sailor Pro Gear Standard. I do find the 3776 to be light, but not flimsy. It is a sturdy pen and I’ve never considered it to be fragile.

I recommend the 3776 constantly, and often over the competition depending on the context of the question. That said, is it wrong for me to want more from the brand on a personal level? Where are the updated stock colors? How about some solid, non-translucent offerings? Or maybe some alternate cap, section, or finial materials? I see a big opportunity for me to give Platinum more of my money, but they seem content with where they are at.

And who am I to argue? They are great pens.

(Goldspot Pens 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!

Image via JetPens

I did it. I inked up a shimmer ink yesterday, and I liked it! I know many of you already use them, and some of you are interested, so let’s give one away! This Diamine Arctic Blue is a tempting color, and a good place to start with shimmer. I have one bottle to give away to the winner of this giveaway, so read the rules below and enter away!

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

The Zebra Zensations fountain pen is a recent addition to the disposable fountain pens category at JetPens, and one that I'm happy to recommend. It's been a while since I experimented with the disposable fountain pens category, and the Zensations pen just solidifies my opinion that just because a pen costs less than $5 does not mean it performs poorly.

Similar to the Pilot Varsity, the Zensations fountain pen is a disposable, non-refillable fountain pen that costs only $3. This is the same price as the Varsity and I would say they are perfectly comparable. The Platinum Preppy is another popular choice in the disposable category, but they are different from the Varsity and Zensations pens because they feature a cartridge system. When the ink runs out, you can simply replace the cartridge with a color of your choice.

The Zensations pen features a slip cap design and an all-plastic body (except for the nib, of course). Despite the materials, this pen is rugged and can take normal bag and transit abuse just fine. The clip isn't the strongest clip I've encountered, but it does the job well. The plastic clip is a tad springy, but it provides plenty of gripping power on clothing, bags, cases, and other objects. If you like to post the cap while writing, the Zensations pen will handle that well. The cap posts securely and adds very little weight to the end of the pen while writing.

As an added bonus, there's a convenient ink window on the side of the barrel so you can easily see how much ink is left in the reservoir. The pen barrel is mostly black, but there's a lot of accent color thrown in, as well as a gray/silver trim for the clip. The ink feed section is visible through the grip, which can also be helpful when the ink is close to running out.

The nib on the Zensations pen is fantastic considering the cost. It's smooth, dependable, and has excellent flow. Straight out of the box, it wrote well and without any hiccups. This is important with any fountain pen, but it delights me to see this level of performance with a three-dollar pen. In a lot of cases, this pen may be someone's first exposure to a fountain pen, and I expect that to be a good representation of the nib and feed mechanism. These are perfect to hand out as a "try it" challenge to friends, coworkers, etc.

The steel nib is fairly stiff, and you won't notice much line variation as a result. The 0.6mm sizing roughly equates to a Japanese medium or European fine. It's a great size that most people are familiar with if they're coming from a bold ballpoint or 0.7mm gel pen.

The unit I have is the blue variation, which corresponds to the ink color inside. Where most pens seem to favor the darker blue hues in the standard lineups, the Zensations pen has a beautiful lighter blue that I absolutely love. It's more of a medium turquoise than a standard blue, and that makes me incredibly happy. Although, if you're expecting a darker blue or even a blue-black, I'd recommend looking at the other color options.

Speaking of which, there are seven total colors to pick from, and you can also pick up a pack that includes one of each color. At $3 per pen, and $17 for the seven pack, these pens are a fantastic deal. Throw some in your cart next time, and enjoy this newest player in the entry-level experience that give fountain pens a good name.

(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!

After last week’s show we went on a hunt for Lamy Orange ink. And we found it. I’m just not sure if we are supposed to be happy about this, or not. We had fun with it though, as we always do. I also gave my thoughts on another orange ink - the newly released J. Herbin Cornaline d’Egypt - plus the Kosmos fountain pen, and the 2018 Pilot Vanishing Point Limited Edition.

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

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.

Blue Apron: A better way to cook. Get 3 free meals, with FREE SHIPPING.

(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 Field Notes Pitch Black Note Books are so simple and so plain. There is absolutely no logical reason for why these delight me as much as they do, but I love these notebooks. They are one of my staples--I used one for my first ever writer's conference notes, and now they're a conference tradition. I have to have one with me for my notes and diary for such events. I associate them with adventure, enrichment, and bonding with distant friends. And now--I can have them in the larger 7.5" x 4.75" size, which I adore and my life feels so complete now.

The notebooks sport a soft cover of duplexed black and kraft cardstock, so they're flexible but sturdy. They have the dusty charcoal outer cover with the Field Notes logo in matte silver, and the inside covers have all the delightful cheekiness that Field Notes specializes in. Reading through them is one of the highlights of cracking a new notebook. I mean, there are gender neutral labels and Ray Bradbury references. There are tips for getting better sleep...or staying up all night. I open this book and know that the people who made it are my people, and I feel their influence on the work--they're bridging a connection between the designer and the user that feels like friendship.

I think that's one of the things that sets Field Notes apart--I don't feel like I've received a product, I feel like I've been passed a lovely note.

But I digress, because notebooks have to be useful, too. And huzzah, it is.

Between those fabulous covers are 32 sheets of 60 lb acid-free paper. They're printed with unobtrusive 6.5 mm lines in light grey. It is all held together with staple binding--the staples are a lovely shiny black.

As with many Field Notes, the paper isn't the best for fountain pens, but it really didn't do too badly. Broader pens and darker inks showed through, and one particularly wet ink bled a slight bit. There is some faint feathering. But overall, it performed well enough that I'll have no qualms using fountain pens in it. I don't mind show-through, or even slight bleeding, so long as I can still read the text. And of course it works wonderfully for pencils, ballpoints, rollerballs, fineliners, and gel pens.

So, while it isn't flawless, it's still perfect. And I'm so glad this is a part of the signature line--that way I can stock up over time instead of ordering an unseemly amount immediately. Which I am tempted to do anyway, frankly.

(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.)

I reviewed Krishna Ink’s Jungle Volcano a few weeks ago (link here), and I gave a little background on the ink and its maker in that review. So, if you’ve not heard of Krishna Ink before, go to that review first to read about the ink in general.

This week, I’m reviewing Krishna Anokhi. If my Google searches are correct, the word “anokhi” means “unique.” It is also the name of an Indian clothing company that produces beautiful textiles in a variety of colors and patterns.

Krishna’s Anokhi ink is a purple ink with lime green sheen. I tested it using a Pilot Vanishing Point with a medium stub nib on Maruman Septcouleur white paper. The ink did not exhibit any sheen or shading in my tests on this paper. Rather, the ink presented as a pleasant medium purple ink with good saturation. It is not waterproof and is fairly wet.

The chromatography test revealed only magenta and purple colors in the ink, so I’m not sure where the green sheen comes from.

This ink is best appreciated on paper that reflects sheen (like Col-o-dex Rotary Cards [reviewed here]) or in wide nibs. You can see the vivid green in the following photos.

Anokhi is another wonderful color from Krishna Ink. I love the purple and green together because it’s such a unique combination—and that makes the name “Anokhi” a perfect name for this ink.

You can purchase a 20ml bottle of Krishna Anokhi from Vanness Pens for $8.00. The bottles are very small, so if you want to use the ink with over-sized nibs, you’ll need to use a syringe or some other method to fill your pen.

(Vanness Pens 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!

Image via JetPens

I know y’all already think I’m crazy when it comes to Japanese stationery, so let’s seal the deal even further! I’m giving away a pair of scissors, but not just any pair of scissors. These are the Kokuyo Hakoake 2Way Scissors, featuring high-quality cutting blades and a backside of the blade box cutter component. You know that’s what you use scissors the most for these days anyway, so why not own a pair that does that the best? I have one pair to give away, so read the rules below and get entered!

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

Karas Kustoms are at it again, this time with a newly designed fountain pen called the Starliner. If you aren't already familiar with Karas Kustoms, they've been around for a few years making high-quality machined pens of various styles. My personal favorite is the Ink, which debuted back in 2013. In my mind, quality is synonymous with the Karas Kustoms brand, and I always enjoy seeing the new designs they come up with.

The Starliner fountain pens are small pocket pens that are part of a larger "Reaktor" series of pens that Karas is working on. While I don't have exact dates on availability, you can expect these to drop sometime mid-year, so keep an eye on Twitter and the Karas Kustoms site for timing.

These pocket pens have a classic design that reminds me of The Great Gatsby and the golden age of stationery. But, your grandparents didn't have fountain pens made from solid pieces of aluminum. Because of this material choice, the Starliner pens are incredibly light and durable. The material is still thick enough to make it incredibly strong and resilient for pocket and bag use. When I pick these pens up, they remind me of the feel that the Kaweco AL Sport has. Light but solid, short but useful.

There are four color options available in the Starliner group. The one that sticks out the most is the black anodized aluminum. This is a sleek pen with a durable finish. Under the cap, the grip section is also black. I'd love to swap out the stock Bock nib with something black as well, to complete the blacked-out aesthetic.

There's also a rugged tumbled aluminum finish available, which also covers the pen from top to bottom and everything in between. Despite being tumbled, the pen still has a sleek and smooth feel in the hand. It just lacks the same amount of luster as its shiny counterparts. One of my favorite features of this finish is the fact that the grooves that are cut into the cap and lower body of the pen retain their polished shine. It gives this pen a classy feel.

There are two polished aluminum models available: one with a blue section and one with a red section. Both models feature polished aluminum caps and barrels. Like all of the anodized options Karas has provided in the past, the colors on these pens are incredible and here to last. The red section might be my favorite, as it has a slight burned orange hue in certain light. Likewise, the blue section also has some green dancing around under the surface. These are anything but basic colors — they're delightful.

Something that I believe is entirely unique in this lineup is the fact that they employ a slip cap design instead of a threaded cap system. All Karas Kustoms pens in the past have used some sort of retractable mechanism (for gel refills) or a threaded cap. So, how does the slip cap system work on the Starliner? Pretty well. I noticed that there were some rough edges out of the box, but they quickly smoothed out. Simply pull the cap off and post it, and then snap it back on when you're done. In practice, they need just the right amount of pressure to operate, and I have no concern that it will uncap on accident. When posting the cap, however, the cap can sometimes wiggle loose due to the short length of the pen and how it rests on your hand. The cap has never completely come unposted while writing, but it does wiggle. To get around this, I've been using the pen without the cap posted. While the pens are short, they aren't short enough to be uncomfortable to use unposted.

You might have also noticed that there are no clips on these pens. This is a deliberate design choice, as the clips are only available on the larger sibling (Starliner XL). These pens do roll around on flat surfaces, so beware. In practice, it hasn't been a big deal for me. They also fit snugly in pen pockets and cases provided there's something to tuck them into. I think the main use case for these pens is to be thrown into pockets and bags with other loose items.

The Starliner comes with a Bock nib out of the box, and I've been fairly pleased with them. Nibs can often need minor tuning when you receive them from the factory, and these nibs are no different. While all four nibs write perfectly well, there is some tuning I'd like to do to increase the flow and smooth out the feel of the nib on paper. The nib is also a great size compared to the body of the pen. Not too small, but not too large either. They compliment each other. Since these are standard Bock nibs, they're also fairly easy to swap out.

One of the downsides of every pocket pen is the lack of refill and converter options. Alas, the same is true for the Starliner. Given the short body, the only options available are short international cartridges. You could probably use one of the short cartridge converters that Kaweco or other companies sell, but there's also a massive market for this size cartridge.

In my time with these new pens from Karas Kustoms, I loved the aesthetic as soon as I saw them, but the writing experience is also fantastic. Every new product is always a blank slate, but I'm glad to see that Karas Kustoms have come up with another excellent product that should open up possibilities in the $50 price range.

Keep your eyes open for these pens to become available!

(Karas Kustoms 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.)

I missed out on the first generation of the Tactile Turn Mover--it was FoMo come to life. The pen world was all abuzz and I wasn't in on the action. Well, I've caught up. And now I see just how much I was missing out on. This is a cool pen!

Since I missed the first version, I can't speak much to how this one has improved on the earlier design, but I can definitely tell that this is a well-thought-out pen.

It takes the G2 refill and any other refill that can be adjusted to fit those specs. I love the G2, so I'm very happy with that, but I'm tempted, now, to pick up the smaller Shaker pen that takes Parker style refills. And considering how many pretty colors there are available, it's totally reasonable to pick up multiples. Totally. And the price is fair at $69 for an aluminum Mover or Shaker.

The pen I have is anodized aluminum in a bright purple color. It's a warm magenta purple, not a cool blue one. It almost seems like it's glowing. The body is covered in a fine ridged texture. It's not rough to the touch, but it does have grit to it. It provides excellent grip, but be careful when placing it next to other objects and NEVER put it next to a fancy-finished pen like maki-e or urushi. It's like coarse-grit sandpaper against other pens. You can actually file your nails with it. On the plus side, it's tough and doesn't show wear itself. It's a great edc pen and can clearly take a beating. I dropped it right on its nose the other day and was afraid it would be bent--nope. Not even a scratch.

Despite being metal, it doesn't feel heavy. It's well balanced with thicker walls toward the front of the pen, so it supports itself as you write.

The clip is stainless steel and very sturdy. It flexes enough to clip onto things, and then it stays put. The clip also has a hidden, subtle branding on the underside, which was fun to discover. I love the clever minimalism of that. The click mechanism--if you can even call it that, since it is totally silent and doesn't click--is made of titanium. It depresses smoothly and quietly, and the titanium is sure to give it a longer lifetime than other machined clicks that wear out far too quickly. It also has a long stroke length, which recesses the tip further in the barrel so there's less chance of leaking or staining. The click isn't quite flawless. Mine does occasionally misalign somehow and get stuck or meet an odd resistance. Sometimes the pen gets stuck overextended and I have to click a few times to get it lined up correctly. It's possible this could be caused by purse debris getting into the parts. I have not gone easy on this pen and it has followed me around work for a few weeks.

Overall, the pen has insanely good precision. It was a while before I could even find the spot to unscrew the nose cone to access the refill--the seam blended in so well it was practically invisible. And everything fits together with perfect alignment and no rattling or awkwardness. It feels like it was built by NASA, not in a one-man shop in Texas. But Will Hodges is clearly good at what he does. This will definitely not be my last Tactile Turn pen. Just opening the web page to get the pen specs was an exercise of willpower. If you're in the market for a retractable metal pen, this one easily tops the list.

(Tactile Turn 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.)

I rarely use ballpoint pens anymore, but I wanted one for my purse. I don’t carry fountain pens in it due to their potential to leak. Plus, my various pen cases don’t fit in my purse. So, I decided I needed a nice ballpoint that would be my “purse pen” for those rare times I need to write a check or when I need to jot down a quick note.

I ran across the Caran d’Ache 849 Nespresso pen on Instagram. I loved the color (it matches my purse pretty closely), and I liked that the pen was made from recycled Nespresso pods. I think those things are so wasteful, but Caran d’Ache came up with a way to make them into a lovely click pen.

The pen is packaged, appropriately, in recycled cardboard, and the presentation is sophisticated yet simple.

The pen comes with one Goliath medium black cartridge, but I ordered a fine blue because I don’t like medium points. Installing the new cartridge was simple: you just unscrew the click mechanism, remove the old cartridge and put the new one in, and press on the click mechanism while turning.

As I stated above, the pen is made from used Nespresso aluminum pods using a special alloy. The surface has some texture which is created with microbeading and electrostatic treatment. Caran d’Ache and Nespresso have collaborated to create a different color Nespresso pen each year. This year’s color is Dharkan which is a lovely grayish blue.

The body of the pen is hexagonal. One side is engraved with the words “Made with Recycled Nespresso Capsules.”

Under the modern-looking stainless steel clip “849 Caran d’Ache” is engraved, and “Swiss Made” appears just below the click mechanism.

The click mechanism is also engraved with “Caran d’Ache.” It is a very quiet mechanism, so if you like to irritate co-workers in meetings by clicking your pens, this is definitely not the pen for you. Or, maybe it is! You can click away without irritating others and, who knows, you might get a promotion!

The ballpoint writes smoothly, and the ink glides onto the paper. I did not encounter any problems while writing, such as ink blobs or skipping.

Unfortunately, this pen is way too skinny for my hand, though the hexagonal shape helps with gripping. Writing three pages with it was agony, and I was glad to put the pen down after finishing my handwritten review. This is obviously not the pen’s fault. I just prefer larger diameter pens. Folks who love skinny pens will find the Caran d’Ache Nespresso to be very comfortable. That said, a purse pen isn’t meant for writing novellas. I just want a light and leak-free writing instrument for times when I don’t have access to a fountain pen. For this the pen will work well.

Still, this is a rather expensive purse pen. I purchased my Caran d’Ache Nespresso from Goldspot Pens on sale for $45.90. Although the pen is well made and classy looking, I’m not convinced it’s worth almost $50. The refills are also a bit expensive at $9.50 a piece.

I will probably return this pen, depending on whether or not I have to pay Goldspot’s 15% restocking fee. If I have to pay that on top of shipping it back, I may just keep it or give it to someone as a gift.

Pros

• The Caran d’Ache 849 Nespresso pen is a very nice looking ballpoint pen. I love that it is made from recycled Nespresso pods, which are otherwise quite wasteful.
• The pen has a textured surface and a hexagonal shape, both of which make it possible to maintain a good grip on the pen.
• The pen writes smoothly, and the Goliath cartridges are easy to replace.
• I really like the Dharkan color.

Cons

• At almost $50 this is an expensive ballpoint pen.
• I have small hands and found the pen to be too skinny for long writing sessions.

(This pen was purchased at full price with my own funds.)

Masters at work: Mike Masuyama (L) and Jim Rouse

At any pen show, the busiest man on the floor was Jim Rouse. If you stopped by the Franklin-Christoph booth, you were often greeted by the crown of his bald head, or 10x-sized eyeballs peering at you through his jeweler’s glasses. As busy as he was, he had time for everybody. That’s what made Jim so special.

There wasn’t a show where Jim didn’t stop to tell me a new story or joke. There wasn’t a show when where Jim didn’t stop to tell me the same joke or story for the tenth time. And I loved every one of them.

Jim was good at his job. No, he was great. His nib grinds and ongoing support are one of the main reasons Franklin-Christoph has become so successful in my mind. I don’t think Scott Franklin would disagree with that. The service Jim and team provided was unparalleled. So was the quality.

One thing you may not know about Jim is how much he loved kids. Whenever he wasn’t talking pens, he was talking about his family. Hanging out with Mr. Jim was a highlight for my kids at the Raleigh pen show. He made them laugh and smile and was happy to teach them things too. It’s ok that most of those things were shenanigans. That’s what made him great.

Yesterday was tough, and I miss him already. My condolences to his family, both at home and in the community. He will be missed.