The Fourth Carnival of Pen, Pencil and Paper

Need some new reading material?  The Fourth Carnival of Pen, Pencil and Paper hosted by Black Belt Productivity came out today. Lots of links to good pen stuff so come on down! Oh, and a big thank you to Notebook Stories for creating the Carnival.

The Mechanics of Flexible Nibs

To some fountain pen users, nothing beats the allure of a pen with a flexible nib. There is elegance about it from the rhythm and control necessary to dance one across smooth paper to the fabulous forms in the trail of ink left behind. Getting the hang of simple forms isn’t terribly hard but it does require patience and practice. Check out some of the links in the sidebar for some good online resources.

If you want to get an understanding of nib mechanics, I’ve just discovered a fine post about flex nibs from Tao at Bleubug’s blog. This is pen geek stuff to be sure but everyone can enjoy his video.

If you have a favorite website or even know of a good post about using flexible nibs, please add it to the comments. Some of us can’t get enough of such things.

Waterman Carene Stub Gets a Forever Home

For weeks I have been in fountain pen nirvana with my latest acquisition, a previously owned Waterman Deluxe Carene Stub*. I am ruined.

What does that mean to a pen collector? Nearly every pen in my drawers, pen wraps, pen cases and milling about forlornly on my desk is a fine or extra-fine. Oh, yeah, I am in deep “dirt” now. Few have received more than a passing glance since the Carene arrived and they are already way past being jealous. Not only are they bereft, they are suffering from dried ink syndrome. For the uninitiated that means ink has dried in nibs and feeds requiring lots of extra effort to get the sulky little things clean. It is my punishment for ignoring them you see. Each will make me pay for my dalliance but I tell you it has been worth it.

The first surprise about the Carene was that this medium weight pen is as comfortable to use as any feather weight model. Good balance is what makes the difference. It’s a very sturdy, well-finished pen that tolerates casual use. Not careless but casual. It will go along for the ride, tossed in my purse without benefit of a case or wrap, showing not a hint of pique at such rough treatment. But that isn’t even the best part.

Waterman Carene Stub Nib

The stub nib is amazingly good fun to use and brings out the italic side of my handwriting. I received a lovely reply to my first letter penned with the Carene. My friend wrote, “your handwriting has changed a bit. It sort of looks like Leigh’s.” That’s quite a compliment as Leigh was the previous owner and one of my favorite handwriting artists. My writing might resemble Leigh’s writing if she wrote with her opposite hand on a bad day and in a cast to boot but I loved the compliment anyway.

One caveat about the Carene. The unique nib will leak on your finger if you touch the upper tips of the nib where they meet the section. The upshot is that you can’t hold the pen low and close to the nib, well, unless you want inky fingers. I haven’t found the hold to be uncomfortable but have forgotten a few times and earned a nice ink splotch on my index finger along with a few chuckles from observers. I like to make people laugh so it’s fine with me but it might not be appropriate in a business meeting.

Anyway, I wanted to share my excitement over a terrific pen and nib. It isn’t right for everyone but it sure is right for me. In fact I would take a second one should the opportunity come my way.

Oh, if you are wondering about the lack of  photos, click the small image above. No way could I have done a better job of showing off this stub than Leigh has done.

*Stubs and italics both have a straight edge that produces a thick vertical line and a thin horizontal line. If you don’t write really small, the stock stub is a great way to put a little pizazz in your letters without having to practice a great deal. If you have small letters, then you might need a custom ground nib to get one sized correctly for your handwriting. Want to create a great signature? A stub nib might be just the thing.

A Little Montblanc Eyecandy

Are you in the mood for some pretty pictures? Check out the review and handsome photos of a Montblanc Meisterstück 149 from blogger InkyJournal. Your Wish List may never be the same.

October Carnival of Pen, Pencil and Paper

Check out the Third Carnival of Pen, Pencil and Paper hosted by OfficeSupplyGeek. Fun to see what other bloggers find interesting.

The Rhodia Webnotebook vs Moleskine Journal Showdown

Many journal devotees would agree the Moleskine A6 journal has cachet to spare. So can a newcomer called the Rhodia Webnotebook (a/k/a The Webbie) best it? With certainty in one key category it does but is it enough to make you switch?

Rhodia Webnotebook vs Moleskine Journal

When it comes to form, Moleskine is exactly what a journal ought to be. The cover is thin but sturdy, the perfect little black book. The ribbon marker is durable enough and the pocket tucked inside the back cover is convenient for all manner of uses. The elastic band closure fits just right and helps keep goodies tucked tidily between the pages. The cream colored pages with pale gray lines are easy on the eyes and discreet. The Moleskine is a classy-looking journal in every respect.

The Rhodia Webnotebook is similar and certainly gives more than a nod to the venerable Moleskine. Unfortunately, it misses in some small ways but puts the Moleskine to shame in the most important one. More later about that.

Addressing form differences first, the Rhodia cover is thicker, sturdy, rigid, and smooth. The elastic band is tight and left permanent indentations on the front and back covers of the sample I received from Exaclair. There is a pocket attached to the back cover just like the Mole.  The inside cover is black with no place to write a name or offer a reward should the journal meet with misfortune. This omission could easily be remedied with a bookplate sticker. The Rhodia does not initially lie perfectly flat like the Moleskine but with use the spine will relax enough to make that less an issue.

The paper is a whole ‘nother subject and in this the Rhodia excels. The images tell the story. The Moleskine paper feathers in places with fountain pen ink but does well with pencil, gel pens, roller balls, and Sharpie Pens (not markers). There is show-through and bleed-through from every fountain pen I used. As one would expect, the finest nibs worked best. Although I didn’t have them on hand to test today, Noodler’s Black or Legal Lapis in a dry Parker ‘51′ extra-fine are the best fountain pen and ink duos I’ve ever found for a Moleskine. The Pilot Prera fine nib tested best of the lot this time.

Moleskine Journal - Front

Moleskine Journal - Reverse

Now for the challenger. The darker cream/gray lined Rhodia paper is thicker, smoother, and absolutely loved nearly everything I threw at it. Finally, double-sided writing is feasible in a small, black journal. No feathering, no bleed-through except with a Sharpie Marker and only the very faintest show-through with anything else.

Prefer fountain pens? This is a match made in heaven at least with the new 90g version. Depending on the ink and pen, drying time can be longer than with the Moleskine but I think it is worth the few-second wait. A piece of blotter paper should eliminate any smearing if that is a concern.

Rhodia Webnotebook - Front

Rhodia Webnotebook - Reverse

For anything but fountain pens, both the Moleskine and the Rhodia work well. The Sharpie Pen was particularly nice. It didn’t even leave an indentation. For compatibility with fountain pen ink though, the Rhodia Webnotebook easily came out tops. Every pen on my desk worked well including the stub and the free-flowing cursive italic, just the sort of versatility that is perfect for an inkophile.

Update: One of the comments below states that the line spacing is larger in the Webnotebook. A side by side comparison of the 9 x 14 cm sized journals used in my test showed no difference between the two.

Note: Another Rhodia Webnotebook review at Rhodia Drive.

New Pen Colors from Lamy

Look at what I found at Art Brown this afternoon, two very tempting new fountain pen colors from Lamy. As the only member of my household who likes purple, either one of these pens is certain to stay firmly fixed to my desk unless I decide to move it. Mwahahaha!

Lamy Al-Star Fountain Pen in Black Purple

Lamy Studio Fountain Pen in Violet

Which pen does the trick for you?

If you had to get it down to just one pen that makes the most of your writing as well as makes you happy to use, which one would it be?

I was thinking about that as I made a journal entry a few minutes ago. For the umpteenth time the same pen was not only very kind to my handwriting but it was fun to use and very easy on my hand. It really does top anything else I own, well, at least until the Waterman Carene stub arrives but the jury’s out on that one for now.

Until then, my black and rhodium Sailor 1911 fine nib does the trick for me regardless of the ink. I’ve used J. Herbin Vert Empire and Bleu Pervenche, Diamine Teal and Steel Blue, and Stipula Moss Green. Not a stinker in the bunch. The 1911 has the whole package and never disappoints me.

Do you have a pen that works that well for you? I hope you do because it is exactly what makes using a fountain pen superior to any other writing instrument. Yes, I’m biased but you already knew that.

Hey, do post the name of your favorite pen in the comments. Maybe someone else would find your fave to be the perfect pen, too.

When Orange is Retro Cool

After years of Japanese, Lamy and Levenger models with a few vintage Watermans thrown in, imagine my surprise when a Retro 51 Scriptmaster 2 wheedled its way into my rotation. Shocked? Me, too, but not when I consider how well it writes.

Retro 51 Scriptmaster 2

The nib is made of steel and it is substantial. The fine nib is close to an extra fine and quite the nail. In fact I have Sailor fines that lay down more ink creating a wider line than the Scriptmaster. With a light touch the nib is smooth. Use a little too much pressure and the nib will dig into the paper as will most extra-fine pens.

The clean design is simple and attractive. The logo, vaguely reminiscent of the Harley-Davidson shield, is 1950’s cool. The barrel is made of a solid bar of cellulose acetate and very smooth. With platinum rings to accent each end, the design is understated but very appealing.

The Scriptmaster build quality is solid and comparable to the Stipula I Castoni College Fountain Pen though it is not quite on a par with the slightly more expensive Sailor Sapporo. The size makes it quite comfortable to use without posting. The converter is surprisingly good in that the piston moves very freely and easily – good both for filling and allowing ink to flow smoothly.

Color being my downfall, I succumbed to the jolt of the multi-hued Clementine orange. You’d be hard pressed to find an orange ink that wouldn’t look good in it. So far Noodler’s Apache Sunset, Iroshizuku Yu-Yake, and J. Herbin Orange Indien have all worked well. Even a couple of green inks have queued up for the opportunity to play with the shiny new Retro 51. Did I mention I like color?

If this review makes the Scriptmaster sound intriguing, Goldspot has a good deal on the Clementine while Swisher Pens has the Tortoise and the Citron colors for a few dollars more.

Retro 51 Scriptmaster 2 with Iroshizuku Yu-Yake

Pen and Ink Links at Blogs.com

Check out the Top Ten Pen, Ink, and Paper Links at Blogs.com courtesy of The Pen Addict, Brad Dowdy. Bet you’ll find some new blogs to visit. I certainly did.