Login
Sailor's Delight was one of two ink formulations chosen by the /r/fountainpens community on Reddit earlier this year, continuing a wonderful trend by Diamine in working with many collaborators - big and small - to create inks. Given all of the recent changes with Reddit, will they continue this project? Who knows, but let me be the first to ask: Mastodon ink when?
If you are Mastodon curious, check out the wonderful community being built at Penfount, where you can find all the details you need. And if you are shimmer ink curious, well, Sailor’s Delight is one you will want to take a look at asap.
The most interesting thing I noticed out of the box with this ink is the underlying color. I thought it would be bright red, and there is plenty of that shade, but the base color underneath that red is peach. That took me by surprise, in a positive way. My 1.1 mm stub nib in the TWSBI 580ALR Prussian Blue pen I used for this review spreads the ink thin at the top of the line, with the ink pooling more towards the bottom of stroke. That’s how shading happens, and in this case, that’s how the peach shade pokes out from underneath the red.
But let’s be clear, you aren’t buying this ink for the peachy-red color - you are buying it for the peachy-red color with shimmer! Diamine says the shimmer is silver, but I see a faint light blue tone where the shimmer breaks through. I think that shade is a perfect match for this ink, giving the ink a purple tone in some areas.
When I bought Sailor’s Warning, I was interested in how it compared to another favorite shimmer ink of mine, Wearingeul Dracula. My guess was that they would be close enough to be interchangeable, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Dracula is very red in comparison, with a brighter blue shimmer. In the end, these two inks are very different.
If there is any downside to Sailor’s Warning it is that it seems dry, even from this 1.1 mm nib. I expected more ink flow, which shimmer inks need to show off their primary property. I want to give it a try in another pen and a different nib to see if I feel the same way, but I’ve tested several shimmer inks in this pen and flow has never been an issue.
At $22 for a 50 ml bottle, Diamine Sailor’s Warning is priced well. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it, but I would make sure to use a wide, wet nib. That goes for all shimmer inks, so that should come as no surprise, but I find it to be especially true with this one.
That’s my Sailor’s Warning.
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!
Each week in Refill, the Pen Addict Members newsletter, I publish Ink Links as part of the additional content you receive for being a member. And each week, after 10 to 15 links, plus my added commentary on each, I'm left with many great items I want to share. Enter Misfill. Here are this weeks links:
— What I’m Enjoying (From the Pen Cup)
— 2200 Inks! (Mountain of Ink)
— At today’s pro democracy protest (Writing at Large)
— 2023 Mid-Year Recap: Reader Favorites from the First Six Months of 2023 (The Gentleman Stationer)
— Pelikan To Be Sold To The Hamelin Group (The Pelikan's Perch0
— Kakimori #06 Toppuri (Inkcredible Colours)
— One more for the community’s exploration of #21PenQuestions (mnmlscholar)
— Maps, Everyday Ephemera, and Watercolor Drawings Record José Naranja's Travels with Fantastic Detail (Colossal)
— Ink of the Week – Troublemaker Petrichor (Fountain Pen Love)
— Maruman Mnemosyne Twin Ring Notebook Review (Blake's Broadcast)
— Mini-Review: Retro51 Rainforest Trust (The Well-Appointed Desk)
— 2023 St. Louis Pen Show (Rachel's Reflections)
— Ensso XS Minimalist Ultem (Figboot on Pens)
— Dominant Industry Standard Ink Swatch Tests (Nick Stewart)
— Exquisite Paintings by Lee Me Kyeoung Are an Ode to the Quaint Corner Stores of South Korea (Colossal)
— The Paris Review - Diary, 2021 (The Paris Review)
— Lit. (Present & Correct)
— Two boring pens that I like anyway (Extra Fine Writing)
— Guide: Pilot FriXion Erasable Pens (Shellshore)
— What’s What 6/25 — 7/1 (Line Variation)
— Nearly Two Dozen Exuberant Works by Ukrainian Folk Artist Maria Prymachenko Go On View in the U.K. For the First Time (Colossal)
— Rob Ball's carpet photos are an ode to the faded glamour of the British seaside (Creative Boom)
Want to catch the rest, plus extra articles, reviews, commentary, discounts, and more? Try out a Pen Addict Membership for only $5 per month!
When I’m looking for a great multi pen, I know any Uni-ball Jetstream setup is going to get the job done. One of their latest releases, the Uni Jetstream 4&1 Bamboo Multi Pen not only gets the job done with four ballpoint refills and an 0.5 mm pencil component, but looks amazing while doing it. I had one to give away this week, and the winner is:
Congrats Theo! I’ve sent you an email to collect your shipping address.
My thanks to Kawaii Pen Shop for sponsoring The Pen Addict this week.
Welcome to your ultimate destination for all things cute and creative! We are a one-stop-shop for beautifully designed, high-quality, and unique stationery items that inspire and delight. From pens, notebooks, and stickers, to a variety of desk accessories, we have everything you need to make your stationery dreams come true.
We are thrilled to introduce our limited edition Summer Mystery Pack, available for a short time only. Packed with 15 delightful and secret items, it's an adventure in every package. While it contains a mix of themed items, not all are summer oriented - so you're in for a real treat!
Originally priced at $70, now it's your chance to grab this wonder-pack for just $28! But hurry, it's available in limited quantities. Don't miss out on the fun, order your Summer Mystery Pack today.
(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)
I’m just got back from the 2023 St. Louis Pen Show (their second one since the pandemic) and have finally recovered enough to gather my thoughts. I spent a lot of time describing last year’s show so that would be a good place to start since I will be doing some comparisons in this recap.
The show was held at the same location as last year, the Sheraton Westport Chalet St. Louis hotel. I love walking down the hallway with all the large displays greeting you as you make your way to the registration desk!
Welcome to the St. Louis Pen Show!
Like last year, Michael and the Dromgoole’s spread were the first things you’d see at the show - lots of pens, stationery and an ink wall too!
The perfect rubber chicken for the one and only Ana Reinart, who was working the Dromgoole’s ink wall.
Opposite the Dromgoole’s tables were Steve and Diane Curnow of Curnow Bookbinding and Leather with their lovely array of notebooks, inserts and leather covers!
I like that there was a map on display so folks could look up where the different vendors were located.
This was a view of the main ballroom on Friday when it was fairly busy.
I don’t have attendance numbers from last year or this year but it felt significantly slower this year. Most of the vendors I spoke with felt the same way. Slow days are much harder on vendors than busy days because the hours just drag on and it just drains a lot of the energy. There were maybe a few more folks on Saturday but it wasn’t enough for some vendors, who decided to pack it up and not return on Sunday.
I also don’t have vendor or table numbers, though this year’s website listed 93 vendors (compared to around 100 last year). I know that there were some new vendors this year but I had also heard that a number of folks did not return after they had a disappointing show last year.
The pandemic has seen a lot of new folks entering this hobby, which is great for making new pen friends, but also essential for a hobby’s growth and continued existence. It feels like I’ve encountered a lot more newer folks at this show than any other show in the past two years. More than once (and at different tables), I heard “I don’t have any fountain pens” or “how do I get ink in the pen?” It’s not a bad thing to have a lot of newbies, but it often means that vendors spend a lot more time and energy explaining their products (or just pens in general). Budgets are often lower since they are still discovering this rabbit hole. So you end up with a lot of vendors competing for fewer dollars (on average) from fewer attendees.
The vendors that did the best were the ones who catered more to this newer crowd. Paper, inks and pens $50-100 were the items that seemed to sell the most. Though I did hear that at least one customer bought a Namiki Emperor from Jimmy Dolive (Jimmy strikes again!), that was definitely not the norm.
Last year the show had two nib workers, which was about right. This year, there were 5. Richard Binder, the Kennedys of Indy-Pen-Dance and Gena Salorino of Custom Nib Studio came this year, in addition to returning nib folks Kirk Speer and Josh Lax. I think 2 nib workers is more than enough for this show, not only because of its lower attendance, but the relative newness of its audience also means that they often aren’t aware of what a nib worker does, let alone want to spend the money on getting a pen tuned or ground.
Gena Salorino working their magic.
What the show continues to have is variety - plenty of modern and vintage vendors in all price brackets.
Love seeing Greg Hardy’s smiling face alongside (literally) the “Crawdaddy” pen he made just for this pen show!
Danny Fudge of The Write Pen is a well-known and well-respected fixer/restorer of pens!
If you need supplies for restoring/fixing or just cleaning/maintaining your pens, Indy-Pen-Dance can help!
Akhila and Nirmal Sheth of Smruti Pens came to the STL show for the first time!
I love that they have vendors who sell other things besides “pens & inks” and some vendors that don’t sell anything at all (like the calligraphy guild or the STL meetup group)!
This father-daughter duo of Lincoln’s Leathers makes notebooks and other items out of Michigan!
Keith McCleary and his family brought all their 3D-printed goods, as well as stickers and other fun stuff to the show!
Look at these cool creations from War Pony Forge!
Slapme? No,Slap U! The St Louis Area Pen Users (SLAPU) has regular meetups named St Louis Area Pen Meet & Eat (SLAPME)! I’m pretty sure no actual slapping happens, but don’t quote me on that, lol! Just follow the St. Louis Pen Show IG to find out about the next meetup.
There were two of these ink testing stations in the middle of the ballroom - perfect for ink play while taking a rest break.
Members of the St. Louis Guild of Calligraphers were present to write your name in calligraphy for free and to talk about all things calligraphy!
If we’re going to talk calligraphy, then you have to mention the master penman, Michael Sull, who was busy making and embellishing his gorgeous calligraphy prints!
Sitting next to Mr. Sull was a tray full of old letterpress “stamps”. For free. These were used to print handwriting exemplars for cursive books. You neve know what treasures you’ll find at a pen show!
There were a good number of classes/seminars this year, but not quite as many as last year, which was fine given the lighter crowds at the show this weekend. Still, the variety of classes was great - “Your Name - Your Signature”, Back to Basics Bullet Journaling, Celtic Knots, as well as American Cursive Handwriting, Vintage Pen Buying for Beginners, and more – there really was a wide range of classes/seminars to choose from.
I barely made it in time for the Journaling Social on Friday afternoon and there were still plenty of people gathering, chatting and working on their journals!
Look at these gorgeous Namikis at the Pilot USA table!
On the other end of the spectrum, look at this “bargain” of a pen! I love it when vendors have a sense of humor!
I love this Nahvalur Voyage: Pride 2023 Pen, with a portion of proceeds being donated to It Gets Better Project!
This is the blackest black ink ever made by Platinum - Chou-Kuro. Apparently, it is 43% darker than Platinum Carbon black!
Luxury Brands of America’s exclusive Retro 51 is not only a good looking pen, but proceeds also benefit the Rainforest Trust!
As always, I had a good time after hours at the show. The bar staff was painfully slow on Thursday afternoon/evening, and didn’t pick up until Brian the bartender showed up with his amazing energy and great service on Friday. I heard that the show organizers asked the hotel to keep the bar open late, which they did on Friday and Saturday nights (yay!). Security did come by around 10pm on Sunday to (very nicely) ask us to vacate the lobby because it was past their quiet hours.
Discovered that the Schnickelfritz Bavarian style Weissbier is really tasty - I may have had a few this weekend!!
A few of the die-hards at 1:45am Sunday morning!
Last year I said “it is a well-run show that might need to scale back on the vendors/tables. There is such a thing as “too big” when it comes to pen shows, especially if you don’t have the attendee numbers (and resulting sales dollars) to support it” and sadly, that is even more true this year. This is already a very well-run show, so there isn’t much to improve on from that perspective. There are great shows that are much smaller than STL (Colorado comes to mind, but I’ve also heard great things about Orlando and Arkansas), so I hope that they consider pulling back the number of vendors they ask to come to this show. This way, the vendors can have a successful show, which in turn, brings more attendees to the show.
Clockwise from the left: matte blue Platinum Curidas (Luxury Brands), Colorverse Indigo Blue (Smruti Pens), 2023 St. Louis Pen Show ink Missourah Crawdad by KWZ, Rainforest Retro 51 and Endless notebook clip (LBA), washi tape and New Pen Day stamp from InkyConverters, and STL notebook inserts (Curnow Bookbinding), all atop the Col-o-ring Folio (Well-Appointed Desk). Not pictured: a pen tuned by Gena Salorino and two of the letterpress stamps (which need to be thoroughly cleaned before I handle them again).
I was fairly restrained at this show since DC and SF are right around the corner. I spent most of the time at the show spending time with pen friends, old and new, which is the best part of any pen show. Until DC, stay safe and stay inky!
This week, I am joined by Miranda Sanchez to discuss video games and journaling. As the Executive Editor of Guides at IGN, Miranda tracks more information than all of us combined, and her analog tools help her get it done. She is also a stationery podcaster, a Twitch streamer, and a prolific journaler - all of which we discuss on this week’s episode. Thank you Miranda!
This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:
Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code PENADDICT at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.
Pen Chalet: Click the ‘podcast’ link at the top of the website and enter the password 'penaddict' for this week's special offer, and to get your code for 10% off.
(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)
This Yggdrasil World Tree Leather Journal from 12 Parsecs Designs is one of those items that falls into a special category I like to call "things I have to review before my teenager steals them for Dungeons and Dragons." If you're in the market for a book in which to record magical journeys, occult recipes, treasure maps, or any other flights of fancy, you should probably check out the Notebooks page over at 12 Parsecs Designs.
This thicc journal has a sturdy leather cover that's interfaced with canvas. Its back cover tucks into the front to conceal the fore-edge, and it closes with two brass buckles on the front. The cover of this particular one is embossed with an image of Yggdrasil, the Norse World Tree, with gorgeous Viking-inspired designs surrounding it. The leather is painted walnut brown with an almost woodgrain effect to the brushstrokes. Y'all, it's really pretty.
Inside this stunning cover are five signatures of 20 sheets of cushy watercolor paper, for a total of 100 sheets or 200 pages. The paper is very thick, soft, and pillowy. You could take a nap on this paper. I usually associate this fibrous paper with bleeding and feathering, but this is very well made sketchbook paper, and I did not have any issues. It is too soft, however, for sharp-pointed tools, so mechanical pencils, EF pen nibs, and ultra fine pen points are not going to be your friend here. And the paper is thirsty. While I was able to write with a medium point fountain pen just fine, it does drink the ink, and the pen's feed eventually struggled to keep up with the necessary flow. The best instrument I found for this paper was either a wood case pencil that's not sharpened too much, or a standard ballpoint pen. Of course, watercolors would be the specific ideal use for this paper, but I shan't disgrace it with my poor art.
The paper also has dried flowers scattered throughout its pages, which adds to the whimsical, fairytale effect. I know soft, flowery paper is going to send some of you running in the opposite direction, but that just leaves more fae paper for the rest of us, so bye.
This notebook is about as opposite as you can get from the streamlined, minimal, purely utilitarian notebooks that make up the bulk of my notebook stash. I love those, too. And I love this. This isn't a notebook that makes me think "perfect for meetings" or "I'll use this for class" or "so efficient and productive." No, this notebook says "time to play and dream" and I am so here for it.
12 Parsecs Designs suggests that this notebook is great for gamers, painters, scrapbookers, journalers, or even folks who want a cool photo album. I agree, and I'm impressed. For all this loveliness and versatility, they're only charging $31 (and they're actually on sale for less as I write this). That's much less than I expected after using the notebook. I can already tell I'll be back for more of these. Probably very soon, when my little Dungeon Master steals mine.
(12 Parsecs Designs provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!
Sponsor support is very important to me here at The Pen Addict. My sidebar advertisers put their faith in me to deliver good value for them month in and month out, and I want to shine the light on the best of the best for you. If you are shopping for pens, paper, inks, and more, please check out these great companies and see what they have to offer. Some recent highlights:
Pen Chalet hits the road with the Voyager’s Collection of fountain pen inks from Van Dieman’s.
Goldspot unleashed the Summer Vibes with a wide selection of colorful pens from brands such as Esterbrook, Lamy, Leonardo - and more - to get you in the spirit of the season.
Vanness Pens turns up the temps with the TWSBI ECO Heat, which is sure to be one of the hottest releases of the year.
JetPens brought in a wide selection of Guridrops Glamorous Glass Pens from Japanese glass studio Guri Koubou.
(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
The concept of a pen case that can double as a stand is one that many manufacturers have tried out. It's a product that always intrigues me because it offers a lot of convenience for anyone that wants to quickly deploy a fistful of writing instruments on any work surface. In some cases, the two main functions of the case can detract from each other. The perfect balance of making a great case and a great stand can be hard to achieve.
The Sonic Sma Sta standing case is a two-in-one case and stand that endeavors to fit both uses. On the outside, it's a clean nylon package with a crescent-shaped zipper over the top of the case, while the back of the case is flat. When unzipped, the back of the case folds back and attaches to itself with a couple of magnets hidden under the nylon fabric. When the case is open like this, the bottom is a nice round shape that provides great stability for everything inside. There's a large opening in the back for storing long writing instruments, and then a smaller opening in the front for stashing smaller tools and accessories. The marketing copy says you can pop your phone into the front pocket so that it holds your phone up, but this only works on smaller phones. For example, a Pixel 7 and iPhone 13 Pro are both two wide to easily fit.
When the case is in stand mode, I've really enjoyed using it. It provides a nice level of organization and great stability for whatever I keep in in. It holds about 10-15 writing instruments when fully loaded, but the sweet spot for this case is between 6 and 12 items. If it's too loaded down, it can be difficult to pull things out of the case because there's too much friction with other nearby things. You can also splay things out a bit so they're easier to grab while the case is in stand mode. The front pocket is handy for keeping small items at bay, but I've found that I don't really use it much (more on why a little later). There's also a small pouch in the front area that has a small Velcro fastener to keep it shut, but the edges of the pouch are still open so you can store objects that are little taller than the height of the pouch. Overall, it's a great stand.
When it's time to pack up, just flip the top back up and zip it up. Easy, right? Maybe. In order to close this case, one of the sides ends up being positioned upside down, and gravity can really cause problems here. For me, I gave up on trying to store anything in the smaller compartment when packing it up as a case. I only use the larger compartment so that I don't have to worry about things falling out of the smaller compartment when I flip it and close the zipper. Even though the small pouch has a Velcro closure, it doesn't cover the entire opening and things tend to fall out with just a little movement. When you factor in the fact that the smaller compartment becomes the same area where the writing instruments are stored once the case is zipped up, I really think that Sonic didn't intend for anything to be stored in the smaller compartment.
This learning process was a bit frustrating, but fairly easy to overcome once I realized the limitations. What I haven't overcome yet is the problem of opening the case when I'm ready to use it as a stand. Let's start with the correct way to always open this case: lay it flat on its back and unzip the pouch before picking it up and transforming it into a stand. What I find myself doing without even realizing it is unzipping the pouch while I'm still holding it in my hands, intending to flip it back and set it down on a desk in stand mode. Every time I do this, I manage to spill most or all of the contents of the case onto the table or floor. Yikes!
Aside from the usage problems I've had with opening this case, I still really like using it as a stand that I can easily pack up and move occasionally. I wouldn't use this is a heavy commuting case that I potentially pack and unpack multiple times a day. The process of opening the case and setting it up as a stand is just a little too chaotic for my taste, and there are other options out there that offer the same basic functionality without the uncertainty of spilling everything out when opening it.
At $20.50, it's a fair price for what you get. The materials aren't the best on the market, but it feels well-made and robust. The zipper is smooth and sure, and the stitching is tight and clean. The light blue color is fun and I appreciate the minimal branding — plus, there are several other colors to choose from. The case also looks unique due to the crescent-shaped zipper and half-pipe shape when it's closed. At this price, I'm more than happy to use this on my desk as a pen holder that I can quickly pack up every few days/weeks if needed. If you want something that you can use on the go, look for other options that are more secure when opening/closing the case!
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!
When I’m looking for a great multi pen, I know any Uni-ball Jetstream setup is going to get the job done. One of their latest releases, the Uni Jetstream 4&1 Bamboo Multi Pen not only gets the job done with four ballpoint refills and an 0.5 mm pencil component, but looks amazing while doing it. I have one to give away this week, so read the rules below and enter away!
Uni Jetstream 4&1 Bamboo Multi Pen Giveaway
🌸 Welcome to Kawaii Pen Shop! 🌸
Welcome to your ultimate destination for all things cute and creative. We are a one-stop-shop for beautifully designed, high-quality, and unique stationery items that inspire and delight. From pens, notebooks, and stickers, to a variety of desk accessories, we have everything you need to make your stationery dreams come true.
Also available at Kawaii Pen Shop: Zebra Sarasa Clip Vintage Colors …
Our selection is curated with an eye for whimsical design and practical functionality, ensuring that every product not only looks adorable but also elevates your productivity and organization. Shop with us to add a splash of fun to your workspace and unleash your creativity.
And now, we're thrilled to introduce our limited edition Summer Mystery Pack, available for a short time only. Don't miss out on this unique offering!
Packed with 15 delightful and secret items, it's an adventure in every package. While it contains a mix of themed items, not all are summer oriented - so you're in for a real treat! 🌈
Originally priced at $70, now it's your chance to grab this wonder-pack for just $28! But hurry, it's available in limited quantities. Don't miss out on the fun, order your Summer Mystery Pack today.
My thanks to Kawaii Pen Shop for sponsoring The Pen Addict this week.
Ana at The Well-Apponited Desk started the #21PenQuestions party, and while I may be late, I’m still bringing a cooler full of fun! I’ve been excited to tackle these questions, and tried not to spoil myself by reading too many other responses before coming up with my own. Let’s see how it goes!
1: What is the pen they’ll have to pry out of your cold dead hands?
The Pilot Murex. I think this is one of the great pen designs, and the one I own was a gift. I try to use it as much as possible because it fits me perfectly, and deserves to be used.
2: What’s your guilty pleasure pen?
It has to be the Namiki Yuraki Milky Way Galaxy. It is easily the most I’ve ever paid for a pen, and looks like it with all of the beautiful craftsmanship involved. No real guilt, only pleasure.
3: What’s the pen you wish existed?
What if you combined the retractable nature of the Pilot Vanishing Point into the size of the Kaweco Liliput, and in the style of a Kasama Una Ultem, but in Orange. Yeah, how about that?
4: What pen would you give to a new enthusiast?
I think I’d go with the Pilot Prera, which is a step or two above the normal basic beginner choices - primarily due to the price. I think it is worth it, but it may be a bridge too far for someone to buy on their own when the $5 Platinum Preppy, or $18 Pilot Metropolitan are on the market. Since its a gift, I’d go for it with the Prera.
5: What pen do you want to get along with but it just never clicked?
Any Conid. By all rights, their pens should be a perfect match for me, but for some reason I never get all the way there with them. I’ve owned two, and sold two. I keep trying them, too, but I don’t see another in my future. Awesome pens though.
6: What pen do you keep only because its pretty?
I have a Fagionatto Petrarque in an orange celluloid that is one of the most beautiful pens I own, but I don’t love the nib in it. I can correct that, and should if I plan on keeping this pen. It has made the cut any time I try to thin out my collection, yet I keep not using it. I need to work on that.
7: What pen (or stationery product) did you buy because everyone else did?
Musubi notebooks, and I’m glad I did. It took be a couple of years to get there, and spending over $100 on a notebook is not something I had done before. But seeing them in action, learning the story of the brand, and becoming friends with the owner finally pushed me over the edge. I love them so much I have bought several more to give away. My personal one is filled, so maybe its’ time for my next.
8: What pen (or stationery product) is over your head or just baffles you?
The Col-O-Ring. I’m just seeing if Ana is paying attention here.
9: What pen (or stationery product) surprised you?
The basic plastic-barrel Kaweco Sport. A pen this small and this light should not be a good pen. And it’s not. It’s a great pen. I remember the first time I held one and I thought there was no way this is a good product. 10+ Kaweco Sports later, I am happy to have been wrong.
10: What pen doesn’t really work for you but you keep it because it’s a collectible?
The Uni-ball Kuru Toga Dive! It is all the rage, but it just doesn’t fit my needs as a mechanical pencil. It’s cool, but I don’t think it lives up to the hype.
11: What is your favorite sparkly pen (or ink)?
Jacques Herbin Shogun is the shimmer ink I didn’t know I needed in my life. It’s a moody ink, but has a ton of color and character. And shimmer.
12: Which nib do you love – but hate the pen?
I think this is the most difficult question on the list. I’m having trouble answering it because I rarely keep pens that I hate.
13: What pen (or stationery product) gives you the willies?
That “Papaya” pen I tried at the San Francisco Pen Show that one time. OMFG.
14: What’s your favorite pen for long form writing?
It’s easy to say the Pilot Custom 823, so let’s not make this difficult, shall we? Despite being a larger pen, it fits my hand well, has massive ink capacity, and sports one of the best nibs on the market. They could change the name of this pen to the Pilot Workhorse if they wanted to be more accurate.
15: What pen (or stationery product) do you love in theory but not in practice?
Pelikan gold nibs. They are AWESOME! They simply don’t work for my writing style. Stock nibs, even Extra Fine ones, are too wet and wide. I’ve tried to modify them, too, and the visuals end up not working for me. I’ve ended up swearing them off, despite being loved by most.
16: What pen (or stationery product) would you never let someone else use?
It doesn’t exist. Every pen I own has been in other peoples hands. It’s part of the deal when buying things to use. Other people get to use them as well. A prime example: the Murex from question number one was recently mailed to a friend to test out.
17: What pen (or stationery product) would you never use for yourself?
I understand the reason why the Montblanc Writer’s Edition pens exist, but they are not my jam. Too big and bulky for my regular use, but are favorites for many.
18: What pen (or stationery product) could you NOT bring yourself to buy?
The Visconti Iopenna. I want to buy it for the memes, but I couldn’t justify $200 for a sideshow. It’s kind of amazing though.
19: What’s your favorite vintage pen?
The Sheaffer Tuckaway. I was fortunate to run across this pen at the Arkansas Pen Show years ago, and it became an instant favorite due to its size and crazy fine nib.
20: What is your favorite EDC/pocket pen?
The Spoke Roady. Biased, as I am part of the manufacturer that makes them, but they are so damn good I want one with me at all times.
21: What’s the pen (or stationery product) that got away?
One of the first fountain pens I reviewed was a Sailor Pro Gear Standard in translucent Orange. It was a loaner, and I sent it back, thinking I could just buy one later if I wanted. Oops.
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!
Each week in Refill, the Pen Addict Members newsletter, I publish Ink Links as part of the additional content you receive for being a member. And each week, after 10 to 15 links, plus my added commentary on each, I'm left with many great items I want to share. Enter Misfill. Here are this weeks links:
— Ink Rainbow (Rachel's Reflections)
— Lennon Tool Bar Watermelon (Inkcredible Colours)
— Watercolor Review: Boku-Undo Gansai Aurora Palette (The Well-Appointed Desk)
— Cartier Cougar Fountain Pen Review (Blake's Broadcast)
— An ink you like is too wet or dry – do not throw it out (dapprman)
— A Digital Archive of Graphic Design (swissmiss)
— New Takes on Traditional Chinese Ink Painting (Hyperallergic)
— June Rainbows Ink Palettes (Mountain of Ink)
— In Ink and Watercolor Illustrations, Felicia Chiao Immerses Curious Characters in Surreal Scenarios (Colossal)
— Specimens of Fancy Turning(1869) (The Public Domain Review)
— The BENU Tattoo is the perfect pen for when you need people to know you are rock ‘n roll but it’s winter and you work in an office (Extra Fine Writing)
— What’s What 6/18 — 6/24 (Line Variation)
— Nahvalur Nautilus Bronze Corydoras Fountain Pen Review (SBREBrown)
— Frida Kahlo's Illustrated Diary (Noted)
Want to catch the rest, plus extra articles, reviews, commentary, discounts, and more? Try out a Pen Addict Membership for only $5 per month!
Earlier this week, I reviewed a poor writing Lamy Rollerball, and today, I’m giving away one that writes well. The Lamy AL-Star Lilac Rollerball uses the far superior Lamy M63 refill, and I have one of these limited edition pens to give away this week. And the winner is:
Congrats Derek! I’ve sent you an email to collect your shipping address.
(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)
I don’t know how, but we are already at the start of summer! I decided it would be a good time to check in on my intentions for 2023 and see if I’ve made progress, if I need to spend some more time/energy or if I need to shift my attention elsewhere. I wanted 2023 to be a year of FOCUS, so let’s see how I’ve done so far.
-- FOCUS in my purchases: As you’ve seen in my pen show recaps, I have definitely bought things at all of those shows and also at pen meetups and of course, online as well. But in general, I have definitely bought fewer pens so far this year than I have in the past. It has allowed me to justify getting some hard-to-find pens (dare I say “grail”?) because I hadn’t spent as much on pens. And in some cases, I did eventually buy something I was eyeing, but I spent more time eyeing it instead of jumping on it immediately (the Leonardo Momento Zero Aloha Blue comes to mind). I still ask myself WHY I am interested in something and whether it’s because of FOMO or “squirrel syndrome”, where it’s just the latest new thing that grabs my attention. I feel like I’ve been doing a much better job of that so far this year, and plan to keep this up for the remainder of the year, which will be difficult as DC and SF shows are coming up, as well as my birthday, planner season and the holidays.
Fewer purchases means I can go for it when a grail pen like this Pilot Vanishing Point Twilight crosses my path!
-- FOCUS on more ink swatching: Back in December, I was up to 61.38% swatched and I’m now up to a whopping 62.52%. I know that a 1% increase doesn’t sound like much but I tend to add A LOT of inks to my collection at pen shows, and I also get some in for review as well, not to mention I’m a bit of an inkophile so an increase of over 1 percent is actually a lot of swatching! But I have also not bought a lot of inks too! Related to what I mentioned above, I have asked myself “do I need the ink right now” (sometimes yes, because it’s a limited release, but usually no), “have I been swatching”, etc. Any incoming inks automatically get set aside for swatching so if the new ink pile gets too full, I have to get swatching! I often swatch inks while watching TV with the family so I plan to do more “swatching and watching” before I get tempted to add more to the ink stash.
-- FOCUS on Journaling, even if I can’t keep up: My plan for 2023 was to do my short form journaling in my Travelers Notebook with the Weekly insert for the short jots and an A5 Hobonichi for long form. I have done pretty well with the TN, with entries for almost all dates except for a few pages and weekly summaries as well. Unfortunately, the undated A5 Hobonichi never really got off the ground. I kept getting stuck over when to start, and how many pages I should skip since I kept missing days. I have decided to use it for non-date-related journaling, commonplace book or something along those lines, but using it as a long-form journal didn’t work for me. At the Chicago show, I bought an A5 Plotter so that I didn’t have to worry about skipping pages because I could start anywhere I wanted and move the pages around. So far, I have added a couple of postcards that I got from friends and wrote in it a few times but I already feel more relieved that I can start whenever/wherever I want. Let’s see if I can keep this up!
I’m actually caught up through yesterday but last week’s spread looks better completed!
-- FOCUS on Selling or Rehoming items that I’m not using: Earlier this year, I shared a table with Inkdependence Mike at the Philly Pen Show. It was easier to pick some of the pens to sell because they were impulse buys or my tastes/focus had changed. In other cases, it was really tough because I was so sentimental about the pen (usually because it took me a long time to find or because it’s sad to realize I’m not as into it as I once was). I need to use those kinds of pens again or put them in the sell binder. I’m still not making bank on these sales but it’s been nice to have money to put towards other things (like non-stationery items, for a change, lol) and it feels good knowing that someone else is going to enjoy it. Even though selling a single pen or bottle of ink or even a sheet of stickers isn’t going to noticeably reduce the amount of stuff I own, there is still a sense of release and relief knowing that it’s no longer sitting idle and unused. And that feeling makes it easier to keep the momentum going.
Some of the pens that I’ve added to the sale binder (come find me at the STL show!)
-- FOCUS on Rediscovery of currently owned but not currently used items: There have been some amazing pens and inks released this year, which makes this so difficult! But setting aside pens-to-be-inked in a tray helps curb the desire to immediately ink up the new pens and forget about others. If I’m inking up a new pen, I try to use an older ink and vice versa. Continuing to keep track of pen usage (via Fountain Pen Companion) motivates me to write more pens dry so I can ink up more pens. And if I keep seeing pens in my collection that I just don’t feel like inking up, it’s a sign that I need to ink them up or put them in the sell binder.
I also decided to make a concerted effort to use some of the things that I love to buy (and hoard) but am afraid to use, like stickers, rubber stamps and washi tape. It’s hard not to think of some of these things as precious, especially difficult or impossible to replace items. But it has been fun to peel that first sticker off of a sheet and use them to decorate journals or envelopes. It’s even more satisfying to get to the end of a roll of washi tape or sticker sheet. Besides, using stuff up means you can buy more stuff, right? :-)
Some of the sticker sheets that I started using in the past few months. Feels strangely good to see the empty spaces!
-- FOCUS on Stick-to-it-iveness for seeing my projects through to the finish: I continue to make progress on transcribing Meditations (44%) and The Little Prince (59%) but I haven’t touched Hamilton lyrics at all. Oops. Will try to spend a little more time on Hamilton because I am not letting myself start another project until I’ve finished something! Wish me luck!
Still working on The Little Prince (left) and Meditations!
-- FOCUS on Health and wellness: I would like to say that I prioritized Health and Wellness this year but the reality is I haven’t done as much as I would have liked. Sure, I can blame the weather (seriously, 3 atmospheric rivers? And an unusually cold and wet spring?) or the travel or just about anything else, but there really isn’t a good reason other than inertia. I have resumed my habit tracker this month, and have been trying to do more stretching and yoga when the weather isn’t amenable as well as doing anything to get outside, even if it’s walking the dog around the block. I’ve also been working on getting more sleep and have added an earlier bedtime to my habit tracker. And I’m repeating this reminder for me and for all of you: there is only one YOU so please take care of yourself. Reach out if you’re struggling, get help from friends, family, professionals. Take that hike, pamper yourself, meditate, stretch, hydrate, etc.
-- FOCUS on Learning/Practicing/Reading: So far, I have made zero progress on the video courses that I had bought in 2021/22, but I have been reading more, both for knowledge, self-improvement and for fun. I’ve also resumed studying Italian grammar where I am using an A5 notebook to take notes and write down exercises. I’ve added “Italian Grammar” as well as “Reading” to my habit tracker, though I also enjoy seeing progress on the GoodReads and Kindle apps. Now to figure out how to fit video courses into the plan.
-- FOCUS on Planning the day ahead of time: The Bullet Journal (BuJo) continues to be the best tool for me to be productive and track items that need to be worked on or completed. I have spent some effort planning the night before but I don’t give myself a hard time if that doesn’t happen. As long as I get a plan going, I end up getting a lot more done. For the second half of the year, I’m going to track whether I plan the night before or the morning of, so I can see which one ends up helping my productivity more.
Now that the first half of 2023 has flown by, it was good to see that I did make some progress on my focus and intentions this year. I do have some more work ahead of me but I am still hopeful that the rest of the year will result in continued productivity, mindfulness, health, happiness and continued enjoyment of this hobby and of life in general.
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!
(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)
On Thursday, June 8th, I drove two hours to Milwaukee, got on a train for two hours to Chicago, got on another train for eleven hours to Pittsburgh, then got on another train to Altoona for three hours. It was a long night. Then I spent the next five days packing up and clearing out my grandmother's house and loading a few treasured items into a shipping container. Then I got back on the Altoona train to Pittsburgh, and spent five days at the Horror Writers Convention, StokerCon. Then I got on the Pittsburgh train to Chicago and the Chicago train to Milwaukee, and then home again. Ten days on the road that included everything from sitting in the mud in a graveyard to attending a formal awards banquet. And throughout that process, I needed to write. A lot. And without carrying too many heavy things, because train hopping is tough, and there would also be times when I needed to walk 1-2 miles with all my gear on my back. This was the most minimal packing I've ever done, and it worked well for me.
I just got back yesterday as I write this, and I'm still lost in the fog of exhaustion, but here's a list of Pen Addict-relevant thoughts and encounters from my trip.
Trains are perfect for writers. The whole travel mode is less frantic and hassled than flying. If your tray table isn't roomy enough, head to the dining car for unlimited coffee and a table to spread your work out. While most of my long train rides were at night, while I tried (unsuccessfully) to sleep, a daytime train ride of eleven hours sounds almost like a writing retreat in itself. Overall, I found this mode of travel to be my favorite over driving or flying.
No matter how much I write, or plan to write, I really just need one notebook and pen. I brought the Pebble Stationery Cosmo Air Light notebook, my Schon DSGN pocket fountain pen, and the CW&T Pen Type-B as my travel stationery, along with my Mini Plotter with the Kaweco Lilliput in the loop. I used the Pebble Stationery and the Schon for story writing, and I used the Pen Type B for signing receipts. I used one sheet of Plotter paper to leave a nice note for my B&B innkeeper. And I used the Plotter itself to press flowers. It works quite well for that. I pressed clover and morning glories from my grandparents' graves, and two roses from my grandmother's garden. An unconventional use case, but one I am very grateful for. The plastic dividers and elastic closure band make it perfect for collecting small, meaningful blooms. And the day after I collected these flowers, I found flowers that my grandmother had pressed in her own books, from her own parents' funerals. We were always very much alike.
Write letters. Lots of letters. Write them to the people you love, and when you receive letters, keep them somewhere where your granddaughter will find them someday and see how much you loved and were loved. My grandmother saved hundreds of letters that my grandfather sent to her when he was in the Navy. Of all the treasures I found in the house, these were the very best.
When you have to plan a difficult thing, plan a very fun thing for right after. Recovering from an emotional week by surrounding myself with writer friends was the perfect antidote to grief. With readings, and panels, and signings, and talks, and banquets, and bar closings, there's both plenty of time to talk and process, and plenty of distraction. And lots of hugs.
If you go to painstaking measures to pack minimally for a difficult journey, maybe don't acquire 18 new books to carry home. Just some advice for future me.
The best thing you can possibly do before getting on a train for uncountable hours is to chill at a friend's house, especially if that friend has goats. And Smores.
This journey was strange and not linear, much like this post. In two days the pod with my grandmother's things will arrive at my house, and I will literally and metaphorically unpack the artifacts of her life and take these objects soaked in memory into my home. My grandmother gave me my love of reading and writing and sentimentality--all of which are essential ingredients to who I am in general, and are also the things that led me to my love for pens and paper.
I didn't write as much as I needed to on this trip; there wasn't as much downtime as I'd hoped as I moved quickly from task to task. But now that I'm home, it's me and the pages for miles, and I just have to stay on track.
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!
The new Platinum Curidas LE Matte Fountain Pen.
Myke is back!
I broke him out of the land of virtual reality, and back into the analog realm. We follow up on his trip to Apple HQ, my discussions with Uni-ball on the Kuru Toga Dive dilemma, and I break down a few new products that have crossed my desk.
This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:
ExpressVPN: High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free.
Yesterday, I reviewed a poor writing Lamy Rollerball, and today, I’m giving away one that writes well. The Lamy AL-Star Lilac Rollerball uses the far superior Lamy M63 refill, and I have one of these limited edition pens to give away this week. Read the rules below and enter away!
Lamy AL-Star Lilac Rollerball Pen Giveaway
The proof of concept period is complete, which means it is time for Lamy to finish the transformation of the Balloon Rollerball into the Vista Fountain Pen.
I first reviewed the Balloon over a decade ago, and the tale of two pens that was present in that design - great barrel, poor refill - unfortunately continues on in their latest version of this colorful pen. That’s what gets me the most about the Balloon: it’s a stunner! At least to look at. Writing? Not so much.
The Lamy T11 rollerball refill is the single worst proprietary refill they make, in a sea of other good to great proprietary refills. That was my primary complaint with the previous model. Given the usage of the same refill, I had hoped to see some performance improvements over the years, but my hope was misplaced.
The medium blue refill is inconsistent. That’s the long and short of it. A good rollerball line should be consistent and smooth, laying down a saturated ink color. The line from the Lamy T11 is so inconsistent, repeatedly going from thin line to thick, that I would almost say it is skipping. That’s a word I’ve never used in relation to a rollerball refill. It’s a bad writing experience, to be kind.
Odds were that this would be the expected result of the writing experience, but that’s not why I bought this pen to review. I bought it for the barrel.
Even though the Balloon uses the same terrible refill it always has, Lamy made some changes to the barrel design. Primarily focusing on the cap, they changed the clip to the famed Lamy wire clip, including the addition of a separate finial cap to slot the clip into.
Kind of looks like a Lamy Vista, doesn’t it?
Lamy Vista.
My dream for Lamy has long been to upgrade the Vista fountain pen lineup to include transparent color barrels. Fun colors, as seen in the Balloon for years. Currently, Blue, Lime, and Pink are part of the rotation. Imagine Purple, or Orange? The technology to manufacture this type of barrel is obviously available, and now parts to match have been added to the lineup. So I have to ask: when, Lamy?
Soon, I hope.
Until then, I would avoid the Lamy Balloon, despite the cool looks, and the reasonable $18 price tag. The writing experience isn’t worth it.
(Pen Chalet provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!
Each week in Refill, the Pen Addict Members newsletter, I publish Ink Links as part of the additional content you receive for being a member. And each week, after 10 to 15 links, plus my added commentary on each, I'm left with many great items I want to share. Enter Misfill. Here are this weeks links:
— Exploring Tokyo’s Hidden Shrines (Spoon & Tamago)
— Seven Years of Morning Pages (Almost) (From the Pen Cup)
— Das Messerbett (Lexikaliker)
— Tones Within Tones: Blue-Black Inks of Choice (The Gentleman Stationer)
— Sailor Pro Gear Imperial Black (Figboot on Pens)
— New Grinds from Custom Nib Studio (Line Variation)
— June Rainbows Ink Palettes (Mountain of Ink)
— LIFE Schopfer Notebook Review (Blake's Broadcast)
— Mini-Review: Pilot Juice Paint Pen in White (The Well-Appointed Desk)
— Review: Pentel Orenz Nero Mechanical Pencil (Shellshore)
— Moody Colors in My Pens (Dime Novel Raven)
— Out of Reach Pens (Rachel's Reflections)
— The 30 Best Albums of 2023 (So Far) (Our Culture)
— Video-Review: Montblanc 149 Calligraphy Curved Nib (Special Edition) (Scrively)
— Poppy DeltaDawn Unravels Fiber Art’s Queered Histories (Hyperallergic)
— Ensso XS Ultem Fountain Pen Review (SBREBrown)
— The Montegrappa Fortuna Camouflage is the perfect pen for when you need to write an elegant letter from a trench or something (Extra Fine Writing)
— Three kind angles on living for ink maximalism (mnmlscholar)
Want to catch the rest, plus extra articles, reviews, commentary, discounts, and more? Try out a Pen Addict Membership for only $5 per month!
FreshRSS 