In Link Love

Link Love: A Surprisingly Good Week for Pencils

Author AnaPosted on 1 Comment
Link Love: A Surprisingly Good Week for Pencils

I think this week’s title says it all — it was a good week for pencil posts. There are several wonderful posts on pencil history and a guide to Blackwing Wings. It seems like a good time to start sharpening your pencils too — new planner season is coming and JetPens has created a sign-up list (link below) to be notified when your favorite planner brand drops their 2022 planners. JetPens carries many of the most popular planners like Hobonichi, Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter (spelled that without looking!), Jibun Techo, Midori and more. With COVID restrictions being lifted and more of us getting out and about in the world, ave you started plotting your planner for 2022?

Love Ana

In other news, this weekend is the Miami Pen Show which is taking place. Hopefully, its a successful event because just a couple weeks later, the DC Pen Show kicks off. I am starting to hear from folks who are vending or attending these events. Are you going? Since I started a new job a couple months ago, I don’t have the vacation time accrued to do much traveling this year but hopefully next year I can attend a show or two.

To pencils, planners and pen shows!

Pens:

Ink:

Pencils:

Notebooks & Paper:

Art & Creativity:

Other Interesting Things:

We need each other. Please support our sponsors and affiliates. Your patronage will let them know you appreciate their support of the pen community. Without them, and without you, we could not continue to do what we do. Thank you!

In Fountain Pen Review

Fountain Pen Review: Narwhal Key West

Author Laura CameronPosted on 3 Comments

Back at the end of May, I got caught up in a discussion of the Narhwal Key West fountain pens ($55). I browsed a few sites, and then saw they were on sale at Pen Chalet. The sparkle got me and I pulled the trigger!

The Narwhal Key West is a pen with a rounded silhouette, a bit cigar shaped. The barrel, pen and cap are made of sparkly resin in your choice of two colorways: Kay Largo (a bright blue) and Islamorada (a caramel gold). The hardware is all silver including the Narwhal-stamped in house #6 steel nib, which is available in Fine or Medium.  The pen takes standard international cartridges or converters.

The cap is a screw cap, and is postable. Overall, the pen comes in fairly standard in length. Closed it is 5 5/8″ (14cm), and when writing it measures 4 7/8″ (12.5cm) from end to nib point. It’s also fairly lightweight, which I would expect for resin, coming in at around 27g.

Left to Right: Esterbrook Estie, Narwhal Key West, Carolina Pen Co. Charleston, TWSBI ECO

The obvious appeal of this pen to me are the aesthetics, but how does it stack up? It took a little while get the ink flowing smoothly through the nib, but once I got it there it writes pretty well. I got the fine nib and while not as fine as a Japanese fine, it’s no Pelikan either. It puts down a nice amount of ink. I filled it with Colorverse Supernova which I thought might be a nice match for that blue! The nib didn’t bounce or give much feedback and there’s no real line variation. There’s a bit of shading if you look closely.

I’ll be honest, I wanted to rave about this pen, and I’m not going to. It’s a nice pen and it writes well enough. At $55, if you’re a beginning collector and want to get a fun resin pen, I think it’s a pretty good deal. But I’m not going to lie – I missed the touches that I love on some of my other pens. For instance – when I went to open the pen, the metal ring made me think of of the magnetic closure on my Pineider Avatar. To be fair the Avatar was more than twice the price of the Key West, but I kept wishing the Narwhal had a bit more to it.

DISCLAIMER: Some of the items included in this review were provided to us free of charge for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

In Paper Review

Sketchbook Review: 8 Random Sketchbooks (including HOT TAKES)

Author AnaPosted on 10 Comments
Sketchbook Review: 8 Random Sketchbooks (including HOT TAKES)

I recently realized I had accumulated quite a stack of sketchbooks to review. I was not sure the best way to present them so I decided to just review them altogether. There are EIGHT different sketchbooks from seven different companies and include different types of paper, binding methods, number of pages, price points and other variables.

Why review them together? Because when I am picking out sketchbooks, I am usually looking for some key features regardless of other variables. Specifically, I look for paper durable enough to withstand a variety of pen, ink and water tools (watercolor markers, some light watercolor, etc).

Will I reject a sketchbook if it doesn’t an elastic closure or gusseted pocket in the back? No. Am I less likely to buy a notebook again if it doesn’t lay flat? Maybe. Will I abandon or trash a sketchbook with crappy paper? Yes. Everytime.

I use sketchbooks like other people might use a regular notebook — except instead of random ideas written out, I will sketch out thumbnails for a potential new product, practice lettering and calligraphy, paint my lunch or a sleeping cat, write notes, test out new inks, glue down some random bits, etc. This means good paper is paramount. A lay flat binding is highly advantageous but if the binding is good (Smyth sewn or the like) then I can manhandle it until is does lay flat.

So, with these specifications, I decided to go ahead and include all EIGHT sketchbooks I currently have and use the same criteria to tests and compare:

  • fountain pen ink
  • watercolor test
  • various writing pens

The notebooks I tested are as follows:

Notebook

Size

Page Count

Paper Weight

Binding

Bonus features

MSRP
Stillman & Bern Alpha 90×139 mm (3.5×5.5”) 92 pages (46 sheets) 150gsm Softcover $11.95
Stillman & Bern Delta 90×139  mm (3.5×5.5”) 52 pages (26 sheets) 270 gsm Softcover $11.95
Leuchtturm 1917 Sketchbook 92×150 mm (A6) 96 page (48 sheets) 180 gsm Hardcover Two ribbon bookmarks, elastic closure, guested pocket $17.50
Mossery Sketchbook 136×193 mm 70 pages (35 sheets) 224gsm Spiral Elastic, gusseted pock front & back, ribbon bookmark, notebook canoe removed and  replaced, included inktober info $28.50
Viviva Colors Cotton 147x210mm (A5) 40 pages (20 sheets) 300gsm Hardcover Flat pocket in back cover (2021 Inktober Edition), included inktober info $20.00
Clairefontaine Goldline 148x210mm (A5) 30 pages (60 sheets) 180gsm Hardcover Pencil loop, elastic closure $15.25
Maruman Soho Sketch  182x257mm (B5) 100 sheets 96gsm Glue bound pad $18.00
Shinola Sketchbook 203×235 mm (8×9.25”) 112 pages (56 sheets) 100lb (approx 160gsm) Hardcover  Elastic closure, gusseted pocket, ribbon bookmark $30.00

The chart above is organized by size with the smallest A6 (3.5×5.5″) books first then A5, B5 and the largest at 8×9.25″. The chart lists most sketchbooks by their European sizes as I suspect most readers are fairly familiar with A5 size (roughly 5.5×8.5″ for those unfamiliar) and A6 is essentially half the size of an A5.

A5-ish sketchbooks

The paper weights vary from 96gsm all the way up to 300gsm but just because a paper is very heavy weight did not mean it was better. The papers also had different textures as well, from very smooth to very rough.

In terms of color, the paper color is also an array from a bright white to a deep ivory.

Sketchbook paper color comparison
From left to right: S&B Alpha, Leuchtturm 1917 sketchbook, Maruman Soho Sketch, Shinola Sketchbook, Clairefontaine Goldline, S&B Delta and Viviva Colors (I did not include the Mossery)

The sketchbooks I tested also had an array of binding and cover options. What this allowed me to do is establish that I don’t really care about the binding or the cover material as long as the paper is good and the overall sketchbook is durable. I prefer a hard- or softbound book over the spiral or pad. I find that pads do not have durable enough covers and thee pages may fall out when I least expect it. Though pads do make it easy to remove pages for hanging, scanning or burning, whichever the case may be. Hard or softbound sketch books, when bound well, can bee used “across the fold” for a larger format that is harder to do with a spiral bound. Spiral bound are the easiest to fold open but the rings can get in the way for some people.

Hot Takes:

So, let’s cut to the “which is your favorite.” Here is my ranking:

Read More

In Fountain Pen Review

Fountain Pen Review: Hero 330 with Fude Nib

Author AnaPosted on 6 Comments
Fountain Pen Review: Hero 330 with Fude Nib

Review by Tina Koyama

Around the time that I had discovered the reasonably priced Moonman S1 fountain pen with a fude nib, I noticed another, even less expensive fude: the Hero 330 ($4; available in dark red, dark green and black). After some so-so experiences with other inexpensive Heroes years ago, I have hesitated about the multitude of fountain pens that this Chinese manufacturer produces. But I reminded myself that many receive favorable ratings and reviews, and maybe I had just gotten duds. At $4, the 330 was worth a shot.

The first thing that attracted me was its retro, Parker-like appearance (Ana makes a similar comparison with the Hero 329). Made of plastic and metal and weighing 14 grams, it is a lightweight, comfortable pen to hold and use. 

Also catching my eye was the hooded steel nib, which suits the slender pen body and style. It is gently curved instead of sharply bent as some fude nibs are.

Important to me is that the posted pen is well-balanced, since that’s the only way I use any capped pen. More critically, the pull-off cap posts securely (otherwise, all would be lost, especially the cap). 

When I unscrewed the barrel and disassembled it, I was surprised to see that it uses a squeeze converter. I didn’t read the specs or view the detail images on JetPens, so I was expecting it to have the more common twisty converter. The squeeze converter fits with the retro style of the pen’s body, I suppose, but I’m used to syringe-filling all my converters, so this one threw me. I even tried pulling the bladder off to see if I could syringe-fill it that way, but it doesn’t come off. Needless to say, filling it squeeze by squeeze seemed endlessly tedious compared to a quick syringe. In addition, dipping the nib into an ink bottle was messy business – I had to wipe a lot of ink off the hood. 

Messy as it was, the 330 fude was finally inked up with black Platinum Carbon ink, and I was ready to take it out for a ride. I had a project in mind – sketching the contents of my sketch kit – with line drawings that I would color with watercolor pencils, and the 330 seemed like a good choice. 

And it was a good choice! I was pleasantly surprised by how well the nib behaved from the first mark I made (I took a chance – no test scribbling first) in my smooth Stillman & Birn Zeta sketchbook. The smooth, responsive nib never once skipped or blobbed, and it behaved as beautifully as my much more expensive fude nibs. The only exception is seen in the closeup below of my ear plugs. I reversed the nib, which I do when I want the finest line possible from a fude, and the line was a bit shaky in places. 

The “Field Notes” lettering and the heavy lines of my glasses below show the fude’s widest marks. 

Happy with the sketch, I finally gave the 330 a few test scribbles to see its full range of line widths (scribbles made in Maruman Mnemosyne Notepad). Used upside-down, the line was scratchy and inconsistent, but not intolerably so. 

As I know from some other inexpensive pens I’ve used, quality control and consistency may be an issue, so I can’t vouch for the one you might get, but I got a winner. The nib has a remarkably good range of line variation. I love this fude – and what a price!

Other sketchers who know I like fudes often ask me for recommendations. This inexpensive Hero is one that I would like to recommend to a fude newbie because of its price, terrific nib and familiar body type, but two things would hold me back: One is the filling mechanism, which might be OK for an experienced fountain pen user, but I would never recommend it to a fountain pen newbie. The second is the possible inconsistency in quality. I would give this one to a newbie (and I might) – but I would hesitate to tell that newbie to go get their own. But at 4 bucks, it’s probably worth the gamble.

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

tina-koyamaTina Koyama is an urban sketcher in Seattle. Her blog is Fueled by Clouds & Coffee, and you can follow her on Instagram as Miatagrrl.

In feature, Paper Review

Paper Review: Lennon Toolbar Egret Paper

Author Jessica ColesPosted on Leave a comment
Paper Review: Lennon Toolbar Egret Paper

Today I have another new paper to show – Egret 65gsm paper from Lennon Toolbar.

I purchased a pack of Egret paper (A5, 80 sheets for $10) from Alex at Shigure Inks several weeks ago and have only now been able to post a review. Shigure is sold out of this paper at the moment, but make sure to sign up for a restock notification so you can grab a pack!

Lennon Toolbar is only known to me as an ink company so far, and I was very curious to test their paper. Any company that loves ink should make paper that is great for that ink. Egret paper comes in two sizes – A5 and A4. The 80 sheets of loose-leaf paper are packaged in a cardstock-weight envelope.

The packaging is minimal – perfect for protecting the pages though.

Egret paper is the same tone as the Tomoe River paper from Sakae (the top notebook in the pile below) and slightly whiter than Cosmo Air Light paper (the notebook on the bottom is CAL from Musubi).

The paper itself has a very interesting texture. Egret paper is toothy – it slows down the pen stroke when writing. I would compare it to how a microfiber cleaning cloth seems to grip your hand if you brush it.

Egret paper also feels rather soft – somewhat like an old cotton t-shirt.

Here’s the reverse side of the same page:

Due to the toothy feel when writing, shading is amazing on this paper and dry times are faster than usual.

The paper also shows off sparkly ink beautifully.

The toothy texture does have one downside – when writing too quickly, some nibs may not keep up.

Strangely, with each of these tests, I didn’t specifically test for sheen!  I did go back and add a sheen test at the bottom of the page, using Bungubox Sweet Love Pink. This ink sheens on most paper but not all. I added 5 drops of ink to the paper, spread it out a bit, and allowed it to dry. So, Will It Sheen?

The only sheen was a thin halo around the ink blob.

As a side note, the ink can be seen on the reverse side of the page, but absolutely no ink bled through.

Lennon Tool Bar Egret 65g – A5 Blank 80 Sheets

DISCLAIMER: I purchased this item with my own money. Please see the About page for more details.

In Link Love

Link Love: Lego My Typewriter

Author AnaPosted on 2 Comments
Link Love: Lego My Typewriter

The weeks surrounding the Independence Day holiday are usually pretty quiet in the pen community. Bloggers take a much-deserved week off and all our fine compatriots are busy tending to mosquitos bites and making copious quantities of iced tea and lemonade to stay cool. This will all change in a couple weeks when August can be seen on the horizon and plans to get kids back-to-school and adults start focusing on the fourth quarter which is when we see a surge of new supplies, inks, planners and preparations for the holiday season.

I don’t mean to sound jaded and I’m not. Back-to-school is my favorite holiday. I’m sure you’ll agree there is nothing more full of potential and optimism than a new notebook or brand new package of pencils or crayons.

Last week, we posted about the Clutterbug organizational system and how it might be applied to planning. So, if you too, are raring to get “back-to-school” this is a great time to consider which planner or planning style might work best for you so that when new 2021/2022 planners are released, you know what to look for.

Love Ana

In other news, Tina appeared on an episode of Art Supply Posse this month. Robert Oster is celebrating FIVE YEARS of making awesome inks (he is THE man for blues!). The USPS is celebrating 50 years as an independent agency. The Pen Addict reviewed the Platinum Procyon and came to similar conclusions that I did. The Typewriter Revolution reviewed the Lego Typewriter. And we’d like to introduce you to a new pen-related blog: A Stationery Voyage. (Never fear, the requisite cat and Star Wars posts are included. Hope you love them!)

Have a great (short) week!

Pens:

Robert Oster Bondi Blue Ink Review by Fountain Pen Pharmacist

Ink:

Pencils:

Notebooks & Paper:

Art & Creativity:

Other Interesting Things:

Oh, one more thing… the Independence Day weekend was also our Ollie-versary. It’s been one year since this giant ginger cat showed up on our porch and stole our hearts.

Ollie on the Eames

We need each other. Please support our sponsors and affiliates. Your patronage will let them know you appreciate their support of the pen community. Without them, and without you, we could not continue to do what we do. Thank you!

In photo

Yarn + Ink Palette: Refreshingly cool summer shades.

Author Laura CameronPosted on 1 Comment

Wow those Tuesdays-after-Monday-holidays hit hard don’t they? I was out of town this weekend and got home yesterday afternoon and in a flurry of all those chores (grocery shopping, laundry, and all the rest) I just didn’t get to play with pens and ink.

So I’ll leave you with a little cool and refreshing ink palette inspired by my latest spin (dyed by Apothefaery Luxury Fibers):

The inks: