A Beginner’s Guide to Fountain Pen Inks: What Inks to Buy? What Inks to Avoid? To Clean or Not to Clean? The Ten Rules.

By: Laura — October 10^th 2019 at 11:00

Are you a fountain pen beginner interested in knowing some basics about fountain pen inks? This post is for you. A very knowledgable pen professional told me fountain pen beginners have trouble finding solid information on the internet. He’s right. Forums are random. Yes, there are pearls; but you only recognize those with knowledge… Continue reading A Beginner’s Guide to Fountain Pen Inks: What Inks to Buy? What Inks to Avoid? To Clean or Not to Clean? The Ten Rules.

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Waterman Serenity Blue ink

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Fountain Pens Defend Themselves

By: Laura — October 5^th 2019 at 11:00

Yes, there are things we all hate about fountain pens. But those pesky problems from yesterday aren’t the whole story. There is an answer to every objection. 1. Cleaning them out. Well, there are some people who love cleaning. I suggest finding one. If they can also cook, never let them go. 2. Ink stains. After… Continue reading Fountain Pens Defend Themselves

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What Everyone Hates About Fountain Pens

By: Laura — October 4^th 2019 at 11:00

Yeah, I like fountain pens and ink, but let’s be honest. not everything about them is good. There are plenty of things we all secretly dislike about fountain pens. 1. Cleaning them out. Tedious and time-consuming. You don’t have to do this with pencils, ballpoints, rollerballs or any other writing instrument. Even the quill just needed… Continue reading What Everyone Hates About Fountain Pens

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Lamy Safari Your Team: It’s NHL Hockey Time Again

By: Laura — October 2^nd 2019 at 20:42

Finally! The Most Wonderful Time of the Year! After an endless summer of no hockey, tonight we finally drop the puck and welcome the new season of NHL Hockey. Which means another chance to play a game I like to call “Lamy Safari Your Team.” The 2019 year’s hockey season dawns wet and drear in Chicago,… Continue reading Lamy Safari Your Team: It’s NHL Hockey Time Again

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Lamy Safari Your Team 2019 Hockey Teams

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Fountain Pen Favorites for September 2019

By: Laura — October 2^nd 2019 at 11:00

I used to do this every month, when the blog was new, and I enjoyed it. I have a strong nostalgic streak. And as you get older, well, the memory goes. I’m now firmly in the “What did I walk into this room to get?” stage. So looking back is kind of relaxing. What were… Continue reading Fountain Pen Favorites for September 2019

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The Beautiful Lamy 2000 Blue Bauhaus Limited Edition, And Why You Are Lucky Not to Have One

By: Laura — September 30^th 2019 at 01:23

I felt funny posting about the new Lamy 2000 Blue Bauhaus Limited Edition set, because people in the US seemed kind of ticked off by it. So I decided, “Not wading into that firestorm, thank you.” Sensible. Except here we are. But it’s not new any more. Also, being sensible is not my thing. Mostly,… Continue reading The Beautiful Lamy 2000 Blue Bauhaus Limited Edition, And Why You Are Lucky Not to Have One

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Lamy 2000 Blue Bauhaus Set

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My First Look at the Pelikan M205 Star Ruby

By: Laura — September 27^th 2019 at 00:16

I just got the chance to open my new Pelikan M205 Star Ruby, the pink sparkly Pelikan I’ve been waiting for. So, in real life, it’s not exactly the pink sparkly Pelikan I’ve been waiting for. But it’s a handsome, translucent dark ruby red pen that I think will find a lot of fans among… Continue reading My First Look at the Pelikan M205 Star Ruby

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Pelikan M205 Star Ruby

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My Favorite Pelikans

By: Laura — September 25^th 2019 at 17:19

In the happy afterglow of a Pelikan Hub, I wondered what were my favorite Pelikans. On purpose, I didn’t look at my pens, didn’t sift through what I have, analyzing and attempting to rank them in any scientific way. Instead, I just thought about it, to see what came to mind. I ended up with… Continue reading My Favorite Pelikans

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Pelikan M620 Stockholm, Pelikan M600 Pink, Pelikan M710 Toledo

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2019 Pelikan Hub Report

By: Laura — September 21^st 2019 at 17:42

Ah, it was fabulous, as always. But we have to call this one the “Knocking on Death’s Door” Hub, because our Hub (in Evanston, Illinois) got hit hard with a nasty respiratory virus this year. If you include me, ugh, who feels at least half dead, but had to go, as the Hub Host, fully… Continue reading 2019 Pelikan Hub Report

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Pelikan Hub 2019 Evanston

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Sailor Manyo Inks

By: Laura — September 17^th 2019 at 15:07

Yo, Manyo. Looks like Sailor is giving us even more new inks. This Manyo collection is coming later in the fall, to pen and ink dealers outside Japan (per my own ink dealer, Dan Smith, the Nibsmith). The Manyo inks come in Sailor’s new square bottle, the 50 ml size, at the MSRP of $24.… Continue reading Sailor Manyo Inks

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Sailor Manyo Ink

Sailor Manyo Inks