Trouble At Inkophile, Part 2

A comment to yesterday’s post gave me the opportunity to expand on the situation about continuing to reside at WordPress. I am reposting that comment here.

Shubhranshu Das wrote:

Sign of the times…I hope you can get out of this paid version and rescue the prior records and exit to a more conducive platform …

My reply:

Yes, it is a sign of the times. Being profitable is essential to survival and expansion. I get that. The rub is that hobby blogs are rarely profitable. There is no income flow to defray expenses. My reviews have dwindled along with my budget while product prices have risen. The WP fee will cut into it further.

Thankfully, Luxury Brands (distributor of Platinum Pens, Noodler’s Ink), Exaclair (distributor of Herbin, Rhodia, Clairefontaine), Pen Chalet, Goldspot Pens, Nemosine, Jackson’s Art Supplies, and others have sent products in recent years that have kept Inkophile alive. Such supporters are priceless as are those readers who have sent products or donated cash. Inkophile has become a group effort in which every individual is greatly appreciated.

Unfortunately, I lack the expertise to relocate. Moving 1,244 posts with associated links and images along with 6,245 comments would be a daunting task. Inkophile is trapped in the clutches of the WP monster.

Update: A lovely reader sent a donation that will help pay the WP ransom. Yay!

The saga continues at Trouble at Inkophile, Part 3.

Sunday Reads: Pens, Writing And Some Birds

Need a new pen? There are several here that I would enjoy. How about you?

• The Well-Appointed Desk: Notebook Review: Compoco Airplane View Journal
• Ferris Wheel Press (pens and inks)
• Benu at Pen Chalet
• The home of Ranga Pens
• United Inkdom: Italix Chaplain’s Tankard
• Kaweco shows frost has a place even in spring
• Quick Fountain Pen Review: What’s In My Pen Case Today?
• Notedian: Why English Author Neil Gaiman Writes with a Fountain Pen
• How to write with a brush pen
• T.K. Coleman: Am I a Writer? Are You? Does it Really Matter?
• This Genius Woman Created a Photo Booth for Birds in Her Backyard

From the archives

Sunday Links: Ink, Books, And Scooby-Doo

You have probably seen Nick Stewart’s ink and bleach swatches. If you like them, his tutorials might give you just the right amount of encouragement and technique to venture into this intriguing use of fountain pen ink. Both successes and failures could make unique greeting cards. No sense letting an ink splotch go to waste…

• Nick Stewart Ink: Fountain Pen Ink Art – Online Tutorials
• Write About Now CT: The Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword…
• Analog Attorney: Fountain Pen Obsession Starter Kit
• Pen Chalet: Colorverse Ink Sale
• Mental Floss: Study Confirms Growing Up in a Home Filled With Books Is Good for You (No duh!)
• ‘Scooby-Doo’ mansion on the hill
• Make Ink: A Forager’s Guide to Natural Inkmaking by Jason Logan (Good for dip pens – not fountain pens.)
• Cactus Friends (A little watercolor fun.)

From LuxuryBrandsUSA.com

 

Nemosine Singularity On Sale

Pen Chalet has the Nemosine Singularity on sale. Nemosine.com has them as well. If you’ve had an urge to try this model, grab it now. As they say, supplies are limited.

Links to a few of my posts about the Singularity:

Nemosine Singularity Stub – First Look

Nemosine Singularity Fountain Pens

Fountain Pens Are Cool

Fountain Pens Are Cool

Last week, HisNibs.com shared a link to a Bloomberg article about fountain pen ink that stated, “Worldwide, fountain pen sales are forecast to total $1.15 billion this year, up 3 percent from 2017 and almost 31 percent from a decade ago, according to market-research company Euromonitor International.” Yes, fountain pens are cool and so is ink.

An inkophile needs a stable of pens to test and compare several colors at the same time. A five-pen rotation works well for me and for a reasonable investment, these are some of my favorite models.

• Pilot Metropolitan – My three are good writers, but might seem slender in a large hand.
• Pilot Kakuno – Mine has a good nib and adds virtually no weight to my kit.
• Platinum Plaisir – Good nibs and attractive colors. Slightly larger than the Metropolitan.
• Kaweco Sport – Modern pocket pen works well in small spaces. Nibs can be swapped.
• TWSBI Eco – Small nib and simple design, but folks swear by the Eco. The Diamond 580 is my preferred model.
• Lamy Safari – Sturdy build, but the grip is awkward for some users. Nibs can be good if finicky about ink. The Studio is my preferred model for an everyday pen.
• Nemosine Singularity – Good build for the price. My italics work best with well-lubricated inks.
• Conklin Duragraph – The stub nibs are smooth and juicy. I liked the design and performance well enough to purchase two.

Although I have owned a few inexpensive Chinese pens that wrote well enough, most brands have been too inconsistent to recommend. However, for the modest investment, they could be worth the gamble. Amazon and eBay offer quite a few, but you might have better luck at His Nibs.

The Pilot Metropolitan has emerged as my favorite fountain pen for ink testing because it cleans easily and flows well with every ink. The Duragraph with its wide nib is good for general writing so it will often get filled with an ink I would use for a journal or correspondence. The Kakuno or the Singularity come out to play when aqua ink is on the menu. The Nova Orange Plaisir is happy with orange ink or sometimes a fill of Noodler’s Lexington Gray. Either way, it makes my desk look cheerful.

My current pen rotation for testing ink includes

• Silver Pilot Metropolitan – green ink
• Aqua Pilot Metropolitan, Kakuno, or Nemosine Singularity – blue/aqua ink
• Plaisir – red/orange ink
• TWSBI – purple/burgundy ink
• Duragraph – black/brown ink

That makes five pens for under $150. Or a mix of Metropolitans and Plasirs could be put together for less than $75. Add a selection of ink samples and you are on your way to being a collector. Now wasn’t that easy!

Though I have never needed to make a return, do purchase where that would be easy. Low-end pens can be imperfect by some accounts though I suspect that is less common with the pens on my list.

Most of the links are to Amazon from which Inkophile receives a tiny commission when you buy within 24 hours of clicking the link. Thank you for your support.

 

Sunday Reads: Pen Links And A Ninja Dog

I think the video proves something, but I’m not sure what…

• Pen Chalet: 5 Common Fountain Pen Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them!
• Teoh: Ink Convertors & Cartridges of Fountain Pens (Quick Guide)
• Bloomberg: Richard Mille Made a $105,000 Mechanical Fountain Pen
• The Writing Cooperative: Fountain Pens in the Creative Process
• Make Use Of: Why You Should Stop Using Facebook in 2018 (Worth considering if you are not a FB fan.)

Ninja dog pic.twitter.com/3tbnYroQjk

— Nature is Amazing 🌴 (@AMAZlNGNATURE) July 27, 2018

Ten Years Old And Still Going Strong

Inkophile is ten years old! Can you believe it? Over 216,000 words, 250 reviews, 1,200 posts and 6,000 comments. That’s a lot of pen talk!

Fountain pens were’t always my tool of choice, but in an art store nearly twenty years ago, a disposable model caught my eye. Since then there has been no turning back.

Moving forward a few years, Ebay provided access to pens that were unavailable locally, but those thirsty suckers needed suitable nectar and that’s when I discovered Pendemonium. Through Sam and Frank, I learned about Rhodia pads and acquired a taste for J. Herbin Lie de The and Poussiere de Lune. Then came Noodler’s Black and Legal Lapis. Those early acquisitions made a fine start to my ink addiction.

Fountain Pen Network caught my interest a few years later, and after an extended period of lurking, I signed up. It was an enjoyable playground for a newbie and remains so. Back then FPN’s tolerance for intemperate and off-topic remarks led to the creation of Inkophile as a more free form and less divisive venue for pen posts. Thanks, FPN!

Even my Twitter account has been around for a decade. Recently, I put some time into refining my Twitter lists, one with over 250 artists and another with over 400 pen people. Twitter can be a cesspool so members are mostly folks who post on-topic or upbeat tweets. The lists are curated so will not only expand, but members who cease to write about relevant subjects will be removed. No aspersions cast on anyone, but the point is to see tweets related to art, pens, and things that are positive. The lists can be a treat when other areas of life are not.

Manufacturers have expanded their offerings in the past ten years well beyond anything I imagined when Inkophile was launched. There is no way to keep up with every pen and ink released making the support of retailers and distributors invaluable. In fact, Pen Chalet, Goldspot, and Exaclair have sent pens and inks recently so there are a few new items awaiting review. Much to do.

Lastly, a huge thank you to my readers who have made this blog possible. You are the best!

In order, most viewed Inkophile photos on Flickr: