Mixed Results With A Mead Comp Book

The test scan tells the tale of the fountain pen ink and the Mead Composition Book. The smooth paper ought to behave better but the performance is about what you would expect from a low-end product.

At 100 sheets/200 pages, the show-through and bleed-through limit use to one side so it isn’t exactly a bargain. Still the low amount of feathering with some inks means this comp book has its uses.

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The designs for the cardboard covers are simple if youthful and the college ruling will work well for most writers. The dimensions are 9.75 x 7.5 inches and will lay flat after a little use. The notebook comes with a stitched binding concealed by a cloth strip which is typical for any composition book.

My comp book was made in Vietnam in 2012 so another run might have different properties. For $1.50 at Target stores, you just might find a slot for it in your paper arsenal.

A Spring Bouquet From Levenger

Levenger has a new True Writer with a color scheme based on Redouté’s flowers. It is called Bouquet and certainly suits the season. It also works well as a gift for Mother’s Day. If I owned one, it would be a sure bet for green ink but there might be a pink lurking in my collection that would be a cheerful alternative. Fun either way.

Now if only the Tiffany styled Arrondissement Ballpoint came as a fountain pen, I might splurge on a new pen for myself.

Arrondissement is a municipal district of certain cities, esp Paris. I don’t know what that has to do with the pen but the colors are very attractive.

Pen Links Plus Doctor Who And Winston Churchill

Like bow ties, watches are cool. Maybe not as cool as a fountain but close. (If you don’t get the bow tie reference, sadly you aren’t a Whovian.)

• A fountain pen collector gets seduced by a watch
• AlvaroRC shares great fountain pen photos with the Fountain Pen Collectors group on FB
• Doctor Who should own this TARDIS guitar
• The Pen Addict: The Pilot Custom Heritage
• Palimpsest: Winston Churchill and his Pens
• Daniel Smith: Neutral Tint Can Expand Your Watercolor Palette Exponentially (See the paint out) and Gentian’s use of it
• Pendemonium’s National Handwriting Month Contest & Special Offer

Want the Platinum Chartres Blue Fountain Pen? Here’s The Deal!

Just so you won’t have to, I did some shopping around after receiving one of those year-end what a great deal emails. The item with the 20% discount looked very appealing so I decided to check prices with online retailers who make great deals an everyday occurrence. Well, not only is the Platinum #3776 Century Chartres Blue Fountain Pen well priced elsewhere, but you can get it shipped free at least for now. So if this pen is on your wish list, I Sell Pens or Goldspot Luxury Gifts  will take your order. Go on. Hop to before they run out.

A Blue Screen And The Platinum Century Chartres Blue Pen has my initial impression of the pen to which you can add two new remarks . One is that under low light it looks black. That makes the pen a chameleon depending on lighting conditions. The second is that the broad nib is turning out very well for me. However, I’ve set it aside to see how Platinum Pigment Ink flows after days of no use. That’s frustrating because I want to write with it – not watch it. See what I do for you ink and pen lovers!

Lots Of Goodies In My Review Queue

Thanks to Dick Egolf at Luxury Brands USA, there are several items on hand for review but it’s going to take some time to get everything tested and results posted. With the gift giving season upon us, I thought you might like to hear some early impressions just in case you have a pen lover on your list.

Three of the Noodler’s inks to review have been available for years but they are new to me. Purple Martin, Beaver, and Tiananmen are looking good so far. When they meet their ideal pens and paper, you’ll be the first second to know.

The two Platinum pens are going to get a bit of use before I commit to reviews. Still you should know that the #3776 Century Black in Black FF (flexible fine) is a really sweet pen that is finer and slightly more flexible than the Namiki Falcon. But like the Falcon it needs some use to reach its potential. The Century has a new cap design that prevents ink from drying out as well as a redesigned nib and feed to regulate ink flow. Sounds promising, eh?

The second Platinum is a resin #3776 music nib (PTBM-15000) that hasn’t been inked yet. I’m reserving that treat for a very quiet few hours after the holiday hoopla has subsided. I am a fan of light-weight pens and big nibs so this could be an excellent match for me.

Dick also sent a trio of Noodler’s pens. The pearl Ahab needs a test drive as does the Galapagos Tortoise Konrad but I couldn’t wait to fill the Tahitian Tortoise Konrad. The colors of the barrel are brown to dark teal and a real treat for a color lover. Luckily the Noodler’s Turquoise that Dick sent fits it in a most appealing way. The Konrad has a flex nib and a bit of use will improve its flexibility. After only a few pages, I really like what it can do. However, the ink can take minutes to fully dry in part because flex writing lays down so much of it. On thin paper like Staples sugarcane (bagasse) expect some show-through and bleed-through. High quality, heavy paper works best. A little water dilution might help or a different, less saturated ink could tweak performance but you might lose some of the shading Turquoise does so well. More on this baby when it reaches adolescence.

Noodler’s Tahitian Tortoise Konrad Fountain Pen and Turquoise Ink

Need a gift for a pen person? Consider a Noodler’s Konrad and a bottle of Noodler’s Ink. That won’t break the bank at $32.50 and it will bring a lot of fun to the writing experience. If you want to go the whole way, include a pad of Rhodia paper. It might be slow to dry but it will show off the turquoise ink beautifully.

More soon…

A Fountain Pen Hater Visits Inkophile

It’s true. “Michael” submitted a comment to my “Does It Hurt To Write? Get A Fountain Pen!” post that is the absolute opposite of my experience.

I write for a living and I get through an A4 jumbo pad in half a day.
This business of fountain pens being easier is a complete fallacy. Ballpoints require no more pressure than is needed to keep the tip on the paper and the idea that a fountain pen can write with just the weight of the pen is nonsense, I gave up the messy, inky things when I left school in 1969 and good riddance to them. Rollerballs and gel pens just fall between two stools and they are expensive to refill.
I’ll stay with ballpoint or pencil.

Is this guy right? What do you think?

Does It Hurt To Write? Get a Fountain Pen!

If you experience hand or wrist pain, a fountain pen could make your life easier. There is no need to press down even slightly when the pen, ink, paper combination is in harmony. That reduces stress and drag making it possible to write longer and more enjoyably. But which products will produce this writing experience?

Inks that flow well or do a good job at lubricating the nib can make a huge difference. Even so there is a need to match the ink to the nib to keep lines neat. Does that sound complex? Tackle the pen first. That may be all you need to improve your writing experience. Find one that glides smoothly but not so much that it gets away from you. If possible, test a pen before you purchase it. Pen shows offer a huge variety with knowledgeable vendors to guide you. Many pen shops are accommodating but make sure the salesperson understands what you want. If you wind up with a stinker that cannot be returned, work with a professional to get the nib adjusted. If all else fails, sell or trade for a more suitable pen. What doesn’t work for you might well be the perfect pen for someone else.

If you want to experiment, an economical option would be to buy a single Lamy Safari and try a variety of their replacement nibs. The wide range from EF to 1.9mm  is fun to explore and eventually you will find a sweet spot. For me it’s the 1.1mm though it did require some practice to become a favorite. Be sure to purchase a converter so you can easily try any ink. Cartridges can be used but need a syringe to fill them. The Kaweco Classic works only with carts but they do offer many nib sizes. It has a more traditional grip than the Safari that will suit some of you better.

Once you have a pen that makes writing enjoyable, experiment with a variety of inks. Over the summer my rotation was quite limited and revealed some standouts that improve nib performance including Noodler’s Black Swan in Australian Roses, Ottoman Azure, and Eel Blue, Diamine Mediterranean Blue and Violet, and Iroshizuku ku-jaku. Many inks improve nib performance like Private Reserve Tanzanite so don’t feel limited.

Paper is the last thing I choose since most of what I have on hand is fountain pen friendly. Reducing drag is helpful so I go for very smooth paper preferably lined. Most anything from Clairefontaine and Rhodia will do. Much of what comes from Japan is good and my Staples Brazilian filler paper is working out nicely as well. Note that very smooth paper may slow drying time with some inks. Again, it will take experimentation to find the perfect match.

Of course, there is an exception. My daily journal is an Apica 6A10 that isn’t super smooth but rather a tad absorbent. It has a “soft” surface that cushions the nib and for me that works extremely well. It isn’t for everyone and the occasional sheet of paper will resist certain pens and inks. I can live with that in my journal since the writing rarely gets read. The size and form factor suit me perfectly so I’ll stick with the Apica but with reservations for anyone else.

Good quality paper helps but is less essential. Besides sometimes you just have to write on junk paper and grin and bear it. That’s a whole lot easier when the pen in your hand already makes you happy.

Wide Nib Fountain Pen Samples