Noodler’s Black Ink – The Proof Is In The Photos

Ha! Thought you were going to see a bunch of photos in this post? Why reinvent the wheel when PenFisher has posted the definitive lot at FPN.

If I had to make do with just a single ink, Noodler’s Black would be the one. When I rediscovered fountain pens over ten years ago, black ink was all I used. The now discontinued Parker Penman Ebony worked well in my art pens so that was good enough for me. Then I discovered Noodler’s Black and realized a fountain pen could write even better, smoother, and clean more easily than with Penman. That opened the flood gates to the world of ink and I’ve never looked back.

Recently I ran across a Moleskine journal from seven years ago that had been paired with a Parker ’51′ Aerometric F. Mind you this is an old journal with arguably better quality paper than the more recent stuff but it’s clear that Noodler’s Black, Moleskine and the ’51′ were a winning combination. My daughter has used NB in a Lamy Safari F on inexpensive paper for the past year with nary a whiff of trouble. Moms and daughters don’t always agree, so take this as high praise.

Note to Nathan Tardif, the man behind Noodler’s:  If you ever decide to rename Black, consider Basic Black. Basic fits well because it is a foundation ink as well as a foundation color. As of today at least, it would be a unique name and you are almost as well-known for that streak of quirkiness you bring to ink naming as you are for your excellent inks.

Additional remarks from 2009 on Noodler’s Black in a calligraphy pen.

Leonardo Calligraphy Pen Meets Noodler's Black Ink

More on Noodler’s Black from Dave Garrett.

Starting Out The New Year With A Clean Sweep

What better way to start the year than with a thorough cleaning. Ten pens got the treatment and are drying, nibs down, in a wad of paper towel. That leaves a mere five for general use and two for testing. Does that sound like a lot? I assure you that is lean for me.

• Parker ’51′ Aero F with Noodler’s Zhivago
• Parker ’51′ Aero Special XF with Noodler’s Black (pen test)
• Sailor 1911 F with Noodler’s Red-Black
• Lamy Vista 1.1 with Iroshizuku shin-ryoku
• Levenger Mink True Writer Masuyama CI with Noodler’s Kiowa Pecan
• Montblanc 220 OB with Rohrer & Klingner Magenta
• Pilot Elite Socrates F Pocket Pen with Diamine Presidential Blue (ink test)

When a fountain pen won’t do, there are four more writing instruments at hand.

• Levenger Starry Night Roller Ball with a black felt tip refill
• Autopoint Mechanical Pencil
• Pentel Pocket Brush Pen with a black cartridge
• OXO Pink Highlighter

Elena sent a couple of Mitsu-Bishi 9800 2B pencils that will get some playtime soon. It’s likely the Levenger Kyoto True Writer Masuyama Stub will get a load of Iroshizuku syo-ro or possibly Private Reserve Ebony Blue in the near future. I love writing with this pen so it never stays clean for long.

That’s my winter rotation. What’s on your desk to start the new year?

Looking Ahead To 2012

What are you looking forward to in 2012? Post in the comments. I will come back as often as I can to moderate them since I can’t keep the spammers out unless I check every comment.

I’ll start. I’m looking for more products to review but for now only a few acquisitions. It would be nice to have another stub or italic nib on a quality pen that is easy to clean. Another Parker ’51′ Aero Standard with a medium-fine nib or stub would be fab, too. A bottle of Iroshizuku and a couple of Noodler’s would be good additions and expand my rotation. Pretty simple, eh?

If I had a windfall, a camera to take pen and ink photos would be high on my list as would a new computer but purchasing a pen or two is more likely. A sweet flex nib would be fun but getting a good one is a challenge so I’ll stick with the stubs and italics. They get daily use and are a better investment.

Your turn. What’s on your list?

A 2012 Moleskine Planner And That Paper Issue

Last week the European Paper Company sent a Moleskine Weekly Notebook Diary/Planner 2011-2012 that I won in a giveaway. How could I not give it a test spin for Inkophile readers?

Moleskine Academic Planner for 2011-2012

The planner comes with a supple, soft cover and two page layout. On the left side is a weekly calendar and on the right a lined page. There are lots of extras at the front of the notebook including a monthly calendar, schedule of international holidays, map of time zones, dialing codes, chart of measures and conversions, and more. The back has a pocket with a sheet of stickers. There is a ribbon bookmark and the whole package stays together with a neat elastic band. All to the good and fitting with the Moleskine brand and price.

Moleskine Academic Planner for 2012 - Interior Pages

As always Moleskine looks great and feels wonderful in the hand. The planner paper is thin which allows space for a huge number of sheets in a notebook a mere one centimeter thick. The good news is that the acid-free (pH neutral) paper feathers much less with fountain pen ink than the last time I tested a Moleskine. The bad news is that the paper shows significant bleed-through though less so with Noodler’s Kiowa Pecan, Zhivago, and Red-Black inks. Since both sides of the paper are necessary for the diary’s format, this could be a deal-breaker for fountain pen users.

Moleskine Academic Planner - Written Sample

Moleskine Academic Planner for 2012 - Written Sample (Reverse)

Other writing instruments worked better but still there was a little ghosting. With such thin paper, this is to be expected. Years ago I used a Parker ’51′ Aero Special with a fine nib and Noodler’s Black ink in a Moleskine journal with good results. Pendemonium‘s Noodler’s Legal Lapis worked well as did J. Herbin Poussière de Lune. I suspect all would be good with this planner as well.  The Sharpie Pen and the Zig Millennium 05 were well-suited to the narrow line-spacing. In fact due to its fine point, the Sharpie will be my first choice for the Moleskine when I don’t have the ’51′ with Zhivago to hand. When I need color the Millennium with Pure Violet ink will do.

One of these days I’d like to test a recently manufactured regular Moleskine journal to see if the bleeding is an issue. Writing on one side of the page would solve the problem though it would be a less than economical use of the journal. There have been enough remarks on Fountain Pen Network from people who have no issues with Moleskine to make me think there are pens and inks that suit the paper beautifully. If you have had that sort of experience, the Moleskine Weekly Planner should be just right. If not, then expect to test and experiment until you find a suitable match. If you love fat juicey pens, I wouldn’[t recommend the Moleskine. Switch your pen or find a different planner, one known for tolerating fountain pen ink.

Parker '51' With J. Herbin Vert Empire In An Old Moleskine

Some non-fountain pen ink tests from DIYSara.

Fun, Edgy, Fanciful Notebooks From Daycraft

With the end of the year approaching, it is time to consider new options for 2012. Have you heard of Daycraft? They make some of the best looking journals and diaries on the market. Whether edgy, fanciful, or twinged with humor, each design hits an aesthetic vibe. Something for everyone, no?

Daycraft Skinz Notebook

The company sent a few notebooks for review and I must say they are easily some of the most interesting looking journals I’ve seen anywhere. Unfortunately, they have yet to enter the U.S. market. Someone really ought to import this line even if only on a limited basis. The Cookie Bookie Notebooks are especially fun and received high marks for unique appeal and ingenuity from the group here. (See update below.)

Daycraft Cookie Bookie Notebook in the Cheese Cracker Version

The attention to detail in the presentation is amazing as you can see on the Daycraft website. But once you move past the packaging and the brilliantly designed covers, will the paper deliver an acceptable fountain pen experience?

Daycraft Illusions Notebook Written Sample

The good news is that fountain pen ink works very well in the Illusions Notebook I used for testing purposes. The paper has a smooth but not coated feel so ink dried quickly. There was a tiny bit of feathering and a few indistinct edges with the most free-flowing nibs and inks. For a private journal this level of performance would not concern me but it could bother a perfectionist.

Daycraft Illusions Written Sample (back)

The bad news is that the ink showed on the back of the paper. Writing instruments other than fountain pens worked much better. I used mostly pens of the felt tip variety since they tend to misbehave more than rollerballs and ballpoints. Even the Sharpie Permanent Marker Ultra Fine Point performed with only the faintest ghosting. However, count on one-sided use with most fountain pens sporting nibs graded larger than fine with a few possible exceptions.

To my surprise Noodler’s Zhivago in a vintage Parker ’51′ Aero fine and Noodler’s Kiowa Pecan in a Levenger True Writer custom cursive italic did not even show on the reverse. Noodler’s Red-Black in a Sailor 1911 fine showed only very lightly. No other brand of ink fared so well. Individual colors may or may not bleed-through but success with three Noodler’s should mean others will provide a good experience, too. A wet writer or a wet ink will have problems but experimentation might reveal colors in other brands that can handle the paper.

Daycraft notebooks are so cool, I would use them regardless of any bleed-through. Yes, every once in a while, form takes precedence over function even for an inkophile.

Daycraft Slab Notebook in Gold

Update: MOMA carries the Cookie Bookie Notebook! I just learned there is a USA distributor for whom I can provide contact information if you are a retailer interested in stocking the Daycraft line.

• okami-whatever: Daycraft: New Additions!!
• Rants of the Archer: Daycraft’s Juicy Notebook

When A Pen Falls Out Of Favor

Sooner or later most of us trade or sell fountain pens but which ones to keep can be tricky. So I’ll share my criteria if you’ll share yours. Deal?

No doubt my pen preferences are evolving. Over the past ten years my tastes have expanded from a fixation with tiny Asian nibs to an infatuation with chunky Western ones. Consider me an equal opportunity pen fancier. Lesson learned is to maintain a varied collection and hang onto the odd ones. With the right ink and paper, almost any pen can be fun.

Another criteria is size. Thin or short pens can cause fatigue and are best suited to brief sessions. A heavy pen must balance well or it will flip out of my grip making it a poor choice unless I don’t mind a little ink flung here and there. Medium to large, light-weight pens work best these days though there are exceptions.

Filler mechanism is important and with few exceptions, levers are out unless the nib pops out easily. I like getting a pen really clean when changing inks and lever fillers are too much work. Most of mine have been sent to more appreciative collectors.

How often I use a pen is less relevant than whether another pen is similar. If two nibs are virtually identical, I might let one go if I’m not thrilled with it. Not foolproof but helpful.

Here’s a case in point. A couple of years ago I gave up on Pelikan pens. Nothing wrong with them. Good build quality, swappable nibs, etc. When I sold or traded them, those nibs and exuberant flow didn’t suit me. Now that I’m exploring wide nibs, Pels are a much better fit and the few still here are getting renewed interest.

So despite modifying my criteria for re-homing pens, I still make mistakes. Put all that together and it makes a lot more sense to keep pens that have potential than it is to let them go.

A keeper, the navy gray Parker ’51′ Aero, though with Noodler’s Zhivago today…

Moleskine, a Parker '51' and Herbin Vert Empire Ink

Remember that deal we made? Now it’s your turn to share how you decide which pens to give the boot when they fall out of favor.

Fountain Pens, Hand Fatigue and Long Sessions

Complementing the strategy of using a light touch, changing pens from time to time is my second line of defense against hand fatigue. Extreme weight differences can be jarring but even more unsettling is switching from a pen that requires no effort to one that needs a bit of push to get the job done. Creative spontaneity may be fun but sometimes planning is in order for long sessions.

Sorting pens for weight and effort is senior but matching pens to frame of mind is helpful, too. Wider nibs tend to take the punishment of more emotional passages. Narrow nibs are well matched to casual musings. Flexible nibs require the most attention to avoid damaging the nib and to achieve attractive, delicate lines that connect to bold swathes. They work best when writing slowly doesn’t cut my rate of expression.

So that makes three criteria: weight, effort, and type of writing. Still when I just want to write, the right tool counts more.

Some pens are suited to all sorts of situations. A Levenger True Writer Masuyama Stub and a 1950′s Parker ’51′ Aero Fine are getting the most use these days. Also at hand are a couple of True Writer fountain pens. Their fine, round, steel nibs are most forgiving and do not berate me for excessive use of force. Lastly come the specialty nibs that add some flair to my penmanship. They are like stilettos, stylish but not for everyday use.

The real standout just might be the 1970′s Montblanc 220 Oblique Broad that at the perfect angle is the smoothest nib I’ve ever used. At the wrong angle it is sharp and drags against the paper. But it is very light weight and has a matte finish that makes it easy to grip. So it isn’t my favorite for long sessions but it does provide a bit of joy when I can write more slowly.

Do you suit pens to tasks or favor one over another for long writing sessions? What are your criteria? Not that I need enabling but trading for another all-purpose fountain pen might be worth considering. What would you suggest?