Frankly Walnut Ink From Robert Oster And Federalist Pens

Federalist Pens sent a bottle of their exclusive ink Frankly Walnut from the Robert Oster Signature collection.

It flows very well in the Conklin Duragraph 1.1 stub that I have had since 2015. Not too wet as some inks can be from such a wide nib. This is definitely my kind of ink since it wrote without a skip after over a week of no use.

Swatches are good for relative comparisons. Here Frankly Walnut is shown next to three J. Herbin inks that many of you own. It is a neutral brown that leans slightly red, a fitting shade for an autumn palette. Easy on the eyes and a color that would be suitable for business as well as personal use. My Traveler’s Notebook is quite fond of it and Rhodia is also perfect as a companion. Perhaps based on how absorbent a paper is or how fast ink dries on it, the color can vary slightly. Not a deterrent but rather a charming characteristic.

There is always a slot for brown in my regular rotation and for that, Frankly Walnut will do nicely. Lucky me. I have a whole bottle to keep me happy for some time to come.

For a second opinion, read what The Well-Appointed Desk has to say about Frankly Walnut.

One Of My Best Pen Gifts Ever

Some quickie penporn for the weekend. The 14K nib on a Platinum #3776 Century that is a favorite. It’s one of the best pen gifts I have ever received and it came from Luxury Brands. Nice, eh? The background is a bit of doodling with Bodu-Undo graphite watercolors and Holbein gold gouache.

 

A Home For My Desk Pens

Those inexpensive Chinese fountain pens on my desk needed protection from my clumsiness and to prevent escaping to parts unknown. So I bought an equally inexpensive case to keep them safe. It holds twelve pens but there are just six in my rotation so it only needs to be left open to access the current crew. When closed, the pens are protected and can’t go wandering as I have been known to lose one from time to time.

The case is well-made with even stitching and a zipper than moves smoothly. Nothing amiss in its construction. The vegan leather exterior cleans easily, a plus given the case resides near my coffee cup. It has two rows of elastic but only one is needed to keep the pens in place. Using one band makes them easy to slip in and out. A Rhodia No 13 pad will fit with six pens making this setup a good offsite companion.

There are quite a few similar cases on the market including several that are made of leather. However, on my budget, this one will do nicely. Photos at this Amazon link show all of the available covers. The seller offers a number of the pens I have reviewed so click the link to the store in the listing for those offered on Amazon. If you know of a similar pen case readers might consider, please post it in the comments.

My pens are still very accessible but now they will get fewer scratches and dings. No protests or complaints so apparently being coddled is okay with them.

 

Chinese Pens: The Final Chapter

Three years ago and after considerable research, I bought my first Chinese fountain pen, a Delike (Majohn/Moonman) New Moon 2 bent nib from Amazon. It was such a pleasure to use that for a time it was the only pen on my desk and for over two years, it was the only pen I used in my daily journal.

The fine and extra-fine that I purchased were not in the same league and only the bent nib arrived in perfect condition. The extra-fine worked well after the nib was replaced and is smooth for such a narrow nib.

I have since purchased several Jinhao 82s and one Jinhao 100 Classic. Not a dud in the bunch though posting changes the balance and makes them slightly smoother especially with light contact.

I have filled thirty pages of notebook paper plus over 400 pages in my journals so these pens have had plenty of use.

The Jinhao 82 would benefit from a metal ball or spring in the converter to keep the ink flowing, but otherwise mine have performed well.

The fude takes practice since it has a very large bent nib in comparison to the New Moon. The latter should work well for anyone interested in just a little line variation. It is reputedly hand tuned which might explain the smooth tip.

By accident I discovered that the finials on the Jinhao 82 can be removed with just a twist. Yep, they can be detached allowing you to mix and match. As if making inks and pens suit each other, now we have finials, too?

Let me know if you buy either a New Moon 2, a Jinhao 82 or 100. Was your experience as good as mine or did I get incredibly lucky?

• Delike New Moon 2 extra-fine Rose Red
• Delike New Moon 2 fine Green Marble
• Delike New Moon 2 bent nib (eBay link since not currently available at Amazon.)
• Jinhao 82 (0.38) extra-fine
• Jinhao 82 (0.5) fine
• Jinhao 82 bent nib/fude
• Jinhao sets

If you want to see more photos or price these pens, here are some Amazon links to what they offer. Note that Inkophile is an associate and might earn a tiny commission if you purchase through these links.

Customize Your Pen By Swapping Parts

Recently on Instagram there have been photos of two-colored pastel pens that caught my eye. Of course I could blink and lose interest so I decided to make a minimal investment and give the trend a try.

This photo from @suzi_scribbles on Instagram was the inspiration for assembling my own version of the Platinum 3776 Kinokuniya “Chamomile Tea”. It is a limited edition and beautiful but no longer available although I did find one on eBay for $770. Attractive but pricey. Time for a little ingenuity.

Jinhao 82 components including both end caps can be swapped making them perfect for an experiment. At Amazon I purchased for under $20, three pens, one yellow and a set of two mint greens, to switch around and reassemble. An unused ivory pen joined the experiment from which four pastel pens emerged. More than I need but they are cute.

My black pens are jealous. The pastels show up very well on my black desk pad even if they do not look professional. However, they are cheerful and offer a charming way to start the day or a change of pace for the weekend.

If swapping pen components around appeals to you, there are Jinhao 82 two pen sets and single pens on Amazon. Note that the Jinhao writes more smoothly when posted. It is a small pen so the balance is improved with the added weight of the cap though it is perfectly serviceable without posting. Amazon also offers single pastel pens in several combinations and nib sizes. This one is especially pretty.

If you make your own colorful combinations, please let me know in the comments. Not that I ought to buy more pens but…

The Evolution Of My Summer Ink Rotation

Several summer ink rotations from the past came to light as I researched my current selection of inks. It reminded me how much my tastes have changed. They are in reverse chronological order. Some lack names for the inks and aren’t the best color renditions. No swatch for 2022 because I used only Iroshizuku syo-ro. Diamine Violet has been in my summer rotation more than any other ink for its color as well as performance. Black Swan and Lie De Thé were also in multiple rotations and made the cut this year as well. No doubt they will again in the future.

Do you make a new rotation every season? Which inks have served the test of time for you?

2023

2021

2021

2016

2014

2014

2013

2012

2010

2009

My Summer Six Pack Isn’t Made Of Beer

After months of testing nibs and writing reviews, the crew on my desk exploded into a massive invasion. Eighteen is simply too many so now it’s back to a smaller group of pens and inks. Last summer two bent nib pens were all I wanted, but this year I added fines and extra fines. I’m calling them my six pack.

These are the ones that made the cut:

1. Jinhao 82 EF Transparent Gray and Diamine Twilight
2. Jinhao 82 F Transparent Grey and Diamine Violet
3. Delike New Moon 2 Bent Nib Green Marble and Diamine Eau de Nil
4. Delike New Moon 2 Bent Nib Blue and Waterman Mysterious Blue. Sailor Sky High when refilled.
5. Jinhao 82 F Ivory with Noodler’s Black Swan in Australian Roses
6. Jinhao 82 EF Transparent Coffee with Sparkles and J Herbin Lie de Thé

Twilight and Eau de Nil are likely to get the most use. Do you pare down for the summer? If so, what made the cut for you this year?