The Well-Appointed Desk

Rather than making a “best pens under $XX” I decided to do out fountain pen list as our most recommended pens. These are based on the many times, throughout the years, at pen shows, here on the site and at meet-ups that people have asked for recommendations and which pens tend to float to the top. There are lots (and lots and lots) of other pens that I love personally and that were number 11, 12, 13, etc on the list but these are the top 10-ish on our list.

There is no hierarchy other than how the images ended up in the photos.

Pilot Metropolitan: This, for so many years, was our most frequently recommended entry-level fountain pen. It’s relatively inexpensive, it writes really well, comes in a lot of color options and its pretty durable. It continues to be a good option though we do recommend upgrading the converter. (starting at $19.50 at JetPens)
Diplomat Traveler or Caran d’Ache 849: These two pens are similar in scale with a more slender barrel than many fountain pens on the market, both feature snap caps and accept standard European converter and cartridges. The Caran d’Ache is a rounded hex shape and the Traveler is a smooth round barrel and slightly shorter. Both pens post but the Caran d’Ache is a bit long posted. Both the 849 and the Traveler is available in 6 colors each, $52 from Vanness Pens)
Kaweco Sport: This is one of my favorite entry level pen recommendations. It’s diminutive size, multitude of materials and classic good looks makes the Kaweco Sport a great starter fountain pen. It takes standard international cartridges so it makes it a great starter pen for many people and its super pocketable. (available at all your favorite online retailers)
Lamy Safari/AL-Star: It’s one of the most commonly recommended first fountain pens and there are a lot of reasons for that. The pen is uniquely styled to be appealing to a lot of people. It is available in bright colored plastic or aluminum. The price point is reasonable. There are many nib sizes available and it’s easy to swap out nibs should you decide you want to try a different size without having to buy a whole new pen. Lamy does require a proprietary cartridge/converter which is one of the downsides of the Lamy Safari/AL-Star. Some people do not like the molded grip section but, for some, it helps establish a proper hand grip for fountain pen use. (available at all your favorite online retailers)
Platinum Carbon Desk Pen: I had to get the PCDP in here. I have recommended this pen, given it away or otherwise inflicted this ugly but glorious pen on more people than I care to admit. What it lacks in physical beauty it more than make up for in drawing prowess. If you or someone you know is a loyalist to the technical pen or the superfine felt tip drawing pen (like a Sakura Pigma Micron 005 or 01) this pen will change their life. Add in a box of Platinum Carbon Black cartridges or a bottle of Platinum Carbon Black ink and it will be game over for bent, broken felt tips forever. Yes, it’s ugly but Sakura Pigma Microns do not exactly win any beauty contests and at least I’ve never had to throw away a PCDP, I just keep passing them on to new converts. At present, my favorite sources for the PCDP do not have them in stock and the info I have suggest that Platinum in Japan may not be manufacturing this model any longer. Maybe they are changing the design? I don’t know. So, if this is a pen you are interested in owning, jump on it before the prices skyrocket. The steel nib model should not sell for more than about $15.
TWSBI Eco/Eco-T: TWSBI ECO and ECO-T provide great options for anyone looking for their second fountain pen or an ambitious first-time fountain pen owner who is willing to purchase a piston-filling fountain pen. The nibs are all European sized on Taiwanese-built pens. (starting at €28.93 at Fontoplumo)
Faber-Castell Grip: Faber-Castell is releasing this fountain pen in different colors more often and the price is very reasonable making this pen a candidate in the entry-level fountain pen category. It takes standard European cartridges and converters so it’s easier to find ink cartridges for new users. (starting at $20 at Vanness Pen Shop)
Pelikan M600 Series: Originally, I was going to put the more commonly recommend entry level M200/205 here but honestly, I didn’t buy an M200/205 of my own until I had purchased an M600 in transparent white (“the Ghost“) and realized what all the fuss was about. Pelikan’s gold nibs make it a bit easier to understand their softer steel nibs but honestly, I recommend saving up for their more expensive pens rather than rushing to get a Pelikan just to say you have a Pelikan. The 600 series is just slightly larger in size than the 200 series. Wait for a color combination that speaks to you. It will be worth it but remember that Pelikan nibs run wider overall than most other European nibs so even the EF writes more like an F or M if you’re used to Japanese nibs. (Appelboom has a wonderful selection of 600-series Pelikans and they wrap all their orders like a gift and include a stroopwaffel)
Sailor Pro Gear Slim: Are you surprised I waited this long to include the Sailor Pro Gear? After Kaweco Sport and Franklin-Christoph 45s, I have more of these than any other pen. First, the Sailor 14k gold nibs are second to none out of the box. For larger hands and deeper pockets, the full-sized Pro Gear is just as appealing and features a 21k nib. (starting at $180 on Goldspot Pens)
Pilot Vanishing Point/Decimo: I prefer the Decimo to the Vanishing Point because the size fits my hands better but if your hands are larger, the Vanishing Point might be preferable. Of all the retractable fountain pens, the VP/Decimo is still the best in show and worth saving up to purchase. The nib is gold and available in a range of sizes. Pilot does not release a lot of new colors or materials of this model regularly but I feel like one of these pens is in a collection is adequate unless you want to have a variety of nibs options. ( available at all your favorite online retailers)

Honorary Mention: Opus88 Koloro This was my first experience with Opus88 and it has remained my favorite. It’s similar in size to a Lamy Safari but made from a combination of ebonite and resin materials and the unique Japanese eyedropper filling system holds a massive amount of ink making this pen a perfect candidate for a wider-than-usual nib. (Limited stock still available, starting at $74.40 at Pen Chalet )

Please consider making your next pen purchase from one of the shops that support this blog and let them know you heard about them here. Thanks for reading and for supporting the shops that help keep it running.

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Giveaway Winners: All the Winners!

AnaJune 8, 2020June 8, 20201 Comment

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaways last week and to our sponsors: Fontoplumo, Luxury Brands and JetPens for providing the prizes. So many wonderful entries that were so fun to read.

Since three of our giveaways ended over the weekend, I thought it would be easier to announce all the winners together. So, here we go:

The two winners in giveaway #2, our Luxury Brands giveaway, the Benu Tattoo Fountain Pen & Colorverse inks was package #1 and the Noodlers Triple Tail Fountain Pen, two bottles of Noodlers ink and a bottle of Colorverse pigment ink was Package #2.

The winner of package #1 is:

And the winner of package #2 is:

The winner of Giveaway #3 the Fontoplumo Special Edition Kaweco Sport Coral and matching Rickshaw Sleeve:

And finally, the winner of giveaway #4, the JetPens Pen and Case Package is:

I really enjoyed reading all the plans people wrote for getting creative this summer in the entries for the JetPens giveaway. We have more giveaways this week and in the future so stayed tuned! Big thanks to our sponsors too. If you make any purchases from them, tell them hello from The Desk!

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Giveaway #6: Goldspot Pens Pilot Decimo Fountain Pen

AnaJune 8, 2020June 11, 2020304 Comments

Pilot Decimo Fountain Pen

Thank you, Goldspot Pens, for donating this beautiful Pilot Decimo Fountain Pen (fine nib) for our anniversary celebration. It’s in the champagne finish and it’s really gorgeous.

Pilot Decimo Fountain Pen

It looks almost rose gold to me and I love that it has silver trim. The Japanese fine nib is going to perform more like a European extra fine so it will be a lovely writer. The pen comes with converter and one cartridge in the box with all the paperwork.

Pilot Decimo Fountain Pen

TO ENTER: Leave a comment below and tell me if you drink champagne. If not, do you own a Pilot Vanishing Point or Decimo already and if so, which one? Play along and type in something. It makes reading through entries more interesting for me, okay? One entry per person.

If you have never entered a giveaway or commented on the site before, your comment must be manually approved by our highly-trained staff of monkeys before it will appear on the site. Our monkeys are underpaid and under-caffeinated so don’t stress if your comment does not appear right away. Give the monkeys some time.

FINE PRINT: All entries must be submitted by 10pm CST on Thursday, June 11, 2020. All entries must be submitted at wellappointeddesk.com, not Twitter, Tumblr or Facebook, okay? Winner will be announced on Friday. Winner will be selected by random number generator from entries that played by the rules (see above). Please include your actual email address in the comment form so that I can contact you if you win. I will not save email addresses or sell them to anyone — pinky swear. If winner does not respond within 5 days, I will draw a new giveaway winner. Shipping via USPS first class is covered. Additional shipping options or insurance will have to be paid by the winner. We are generous but we’re not made of money. US and APO/AFO only, sorry.

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Top Ten Fave Posts

AnaJune 8, 2020June 7, 20205 Comments

As Week Two of our 10 year celebration commences, I’ll start with the readers’ favorite posts this week. This part is easy. Thanks to hit counts, it’s pretty easy to see what posts get the most views and, chances are, you’ve probably visited these pages at least once.

So, without further adieu:

The Epic Refill Reference Guide: Rollerball, Gel and Ballpoints: This resource provide a guide (not definitive) of comparable refills for the most common rollerball, gel and ballpoint pens on the market. Not every refill in each category will fit in every pen but, depending on tolerances within a pen, there’s a decent chance they might.
Turn a Blank Notebook into a Lined Notebook, AKA The Guide Sheets: This free resource page provides a plethora of downloadable guide sheets to use with blank notebooks to provide lines, graphs or dot grids. We are delighted to be able to provide this free resource to the community. Feel free to include a link to this on your site or share it with the community, we just ask that you credit us. Thanks.
A Beginner’s Dive into Ring-Bound Planners: This 6-part series written over six years ago at what was probably the tail-end of the ring-bound planner craze is still accessed regularly. Of greatest interest is part two which features some great graphics illustrating the various binder sizes and some common paper sizes available.
13 Things to Do With All Those Blank Notebooks: There are endless Buzzfeed posts on the internet of “XX of XX” and sometimes we are not above stooping to this if it means we will actually use all those notebooks we buy. I hoard them like they might stop making them one day, don’t you? We also did a follow-up to this post, 15 Things to Do with An Empty Sketchbook, leading up to Inktober the following year because I’m the same way with sketchbooks.
Ask The Desk: Storing Pens Up or Down?: It amuses me to no end that this post is in the Top Ten most viewed posts. I wrote this in 2013 and re-read it to make sure, seven years later I still agree with the information. Surprisingly, I pretty much do. I might store more brush pens upright these days or horizontally, but I have a lot of double-ended brush pens and felt tips so it’s harder to decided which end is up but otherwise, I still agree. Crazy.
Customizing a Midori Traveler Notebook: This post, along with a later post about Hacking a Traveler’s Notebook also get a lot of regular views. Neither are super thorough but have some good links and ideas to get folks started on the wide world of Traveler’s Notebooks.
22 Planner Alternatives to a Filofax: This post is over five years old. Initially I thought it might be tired but it does mention most of the popular brands. It’s missing some of the newer Japanese planners (like the Jibun Techo) that have popped up in the last couple years so it may be time for a refresh… assuming we need to keep planners again, right?
Pen Show Schedule: Our Pen Show Schedule seems to have fallen down the list this year but under the circumstances we realize most people aren’t planning to travel and there aren’t many pen shows left on the calendar at this point. Laura and I have been frantically trying to keep it updated with the cancellations and rescheduling this year, something we have not had to do in the past. Hopefully, 2021 will bring about a fresh new pen show season. We can hope, right?
Review: ALL The Erasable Pens (Pilot Frixion + Uni Fanthom): Pilot Frixion is the best known erasable pen on the market and they have created gel pens, highlighters, markers and more but at the time of writing this review, Uni had released their Fathom line of erasable pens to compete and this was my first experiences with a competitor to the Frixion. It’s one of my earlier reviews so it’s not incredibly thorough. I guess it’s time to take another look.
Reconsidering Moleskine: Boy, did this post create a lot of controversy when I posted it. The review was written four years ago and I specifically went out and bought four different notebooks off-the-shelf to test. Since then, it’s possible that Moleskine has continued to change where and how it sources it’s paper but, at the time, my findings were above average. My photography though was sub-par!

Now, I thought it would be fun to make a list of our favorite posts… in no particular order. I asked Laura, Jesi and Tina to contribute to the list as well.

1. Why Does All This Matter: A manifesto of sorts.: Reading Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert and then listening to Magic Lessons rekindled such a passion in me. just this quote: “Live the most creative life as a means of fighting back against the ruthless furnace of this world.” is readymade for 2020, isn’t it. (Ana)
2. Dudek Modern Goods “The Lady” Display: This post, while about the lovely pen display stand that Mike Dudek made for me is just as much about the pens IN the stand — my ever-growing collection of Lady Sheaffer Skripserts. (Ana)
3. Planners: Where are they now? – We all buy them, sometimes sight unseen, and hope that they work with our processes. It was a fun exercise to go back and see what worked and what didn’t and it still informs my buying decisions today! (Laura)
4. 5 Things You Should NOT Keep in a Planner: This was another of those posts that was written a long time ago and I needed to go back and re-read it to see if I still agreed with it. I do. These apply to any notebook. (Ana)
5. Kickstarter: Wancher True Urushi Fountain Pen in Red: This post means a lot to me because there was a great deal of kismet in the timing of it. My dear friend Kasey was passing through town at the moment I was working on it and kindly loaned me his Nakaya Decapod for comparison. It added exactly what I needed to feel more knowledgeable and hopefully, make the review more well-rounded. (Ana)
6. Blackwing Eraser Hack-a-Thon Tina says, of this post, “It was such a geeky thing to do (and to want to do), let alone in public.” (Tina)
7. The “Upstairs” Typewriters: Since this post, I have sold several of these typewriters, and acquired several more. When people ask how many typewriters I own, I think it’s like asking a lady how old she is. My only response is “How rude!” Needless to say, there’s a bit of shame in my typewriter hoarding. But I am proud to say there are only THREE typewriters upstairs at present. (Ana)
8. Chicago Pen Show Recap 2018 – Technically my second pen show, but the first that I got to experience pen shows after dark. I met so many people, ate chocolate cake bigger than my head and picked up some gorgeous pens that I still love to pieces. (Laura)
9. Ink Review: Colorverse Sunspot, Black Hole, Vortex Motion and Dark Energy: I must have been punchy when I wrote this. I did about a week straight of writing Colorverse ink reviews when the inks were first available in the US. Everyone was reviewing them and I think I was trying to find how to put a new spin on them. I think this was it. I might have gone too far but I cannot ever look at these three inks the same way since this review. (Ana)
10. Flashback: Pen Addict World Tour Toronto Video: This is just so silly and off-the-cuff and really summed up how much fun Brad, Myke and I had been having traveling together over the course of the year essentially. We could not have done it without the support of Kickstarter backers and Pen Addict listeners and I couldn’t have been a part of it without the kindness of the guys letting me tag along and be the third wheel. Like so much of the pen community, I am endlessly awed by the kindness I have found.

Honorary Mention: Coming Soon: Col-o-ring Ink Testing Books: This was the public announcement of our first Col-o-ring product and our real launch into the pen community as a business. It was scary and exciting all at the same time. It has changed our lives. It felt good to put something back into the community that we loved so much. And now we leave a trail of little white dots wherever we go. (Bob)

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Giveaway #5: Appelboom Pelikan M101N Blue-Grey & Lamy Bronze

AnaJune 5, 2020June 10, 2020339 Comments

Our good friend Joost at Appelboom in the Netherlands has been so generous to us for our anniversary and you, our lovely readers, will be the ones who get to celebrate.

Appelboom has one Pelikan M101N in Blue-Grey with a Broad nib and a bottle of Lamy Bronze for one lucky reader. The Pelikan M101N comes in a gift box with a bottle of Pelikan ink and a carrying sleeve. This pen is so beautiful! This giveaway is open to all our readers, worldwide (except maybe North Korea, but I don’t think we have any readers there!)

Thanks to Appelboom for this generous giveaway and their on-going support for The Desk.

TO ENTER: Leave a comment below and tell me which Pelikan pen(s) you own or you would like to own (besides this one). Play along and type in something. It makes reading through entries more interesting for me, okay? One entry per person.

FINE PRINT: All entries must be submitted by 10pm CST on Monday, June 9, 2020. All entries must be submitted at wellappointeddesk.com, not Twitter, Tumblr or Facebook, okay? Winner will be announced on Tuesday. Winner will be selected by random number generator from entries that played by the rules (see above). Please include your actual email address in the comment form so that I can contact you if you win. I will not save email addresses or sell them to anyone — pinky swear. If winner does not respond within 5 days, I will draw a new giveaway winner. Email and address will be forwarded to Appelboom for final shipping.

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Giveaway Winner: Pen Chalet $50 Gift Card

AnaJune 5, 2020June 5, 20201 Comment

Thanks to everyone who entered the first giveaway in our 10th Anniversary celebration and sharing with us their travel dreams if and when we are finally — to quote the old Southwest Airlines ad — “free to move about the country” again. Lots of folks want to go to very far away like Japan or visit friends and family who may only be just a short distance away. And some folks want to go a very short distance like their local library.

I liked all the answers and would like to hop a ride with all of you when we no longer have to social distance so leave room in your carry-on for me, okay?

In the meantime, drum roll for our winner of the Pen Chalet $50 gift card is:

penchalet gift card — This is not a real gift card. The real one will have a secret code on it to activate it. This is just an enticing image to get you excited to enter the giveaway.

I have contacted Annie directly and are making arrangements to have her gift card sent ASAP.

Thanks to everyone who entered and stay tuned for more giveaways!

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Ten Favorite Pencils

AnaJune 5, 2020May 28, 20204 Comments

Ten Fave Pencils

Like all the previous 10th Anniversary posts, these pencils are not in any particular order but when anyone asks what my favorite pencils are, these are what I usually recommend. My pencil tastes lean towards pencils I can both write and draw with. As a lefty, smudging is a big concern for me as well so I tend to prefer a firmer core when I use graphite. Mostly though, I tend to prefer more wax-based or non-graphite pencils. I will always keep a few graphite pencils in my collection but they will be top tier quality.

Sanford NoBlot Ink Pencil. This is the pencil that brought me back to the analog fold. It is no longer manufactured but other indelible pencils can be purchased or you can become as obsessed with these nostalgic wonder sticks.
Caran d’Ache Bi-Color 999. Trust me, I’ve tried ALL the other red/blue colored pencils and I always come back to this one. It’s essentially a Supracolor since it’s water soluble so it’s the best of both worlds — it’s a watercolor pencil and a red/blue marking pencil all in one handy-dandy unit. It’s worth the price. ($3 from CWPencils.com)
Musgrave Tennessee Red Cedar. This is my signature pencil. As a girl from Tennessee, my fingers were crossed that this pencil would be one that I would like and I ended up loving it. It’s American made and lovely. It smells good, feels good and writes nicely too. ($9 for a dozen)
Palomino Blackwing. Shown is the Editions #24 but it is the same as the current Blackwing Natural core which is the extra-firm graphite. It is a classic, workhorse pencil. It looks good, classic and professional. Grab a box. ($24.95 per box of 12 from Blackwing)
Stabil0 All Multi-Purpose. It’s a waxy pencil that will write or draw on glass, plastic, wood and more. This pencil is great for collage art and multi-media. Unlike the China Marker mentioned below, the Stabilo All create a rich waxy line but is water soluble. ($1.90 each from CWPencils)
Faber-Castell Grip 2001. This rounded triangular pencil with it’s grippy little dots is a pencil I reach for over and over again. The graphite is a little scratchier than the Japanese pencils but I still love this pencil. I wish they wouldn’t put the stupid bar code on it. (3-Pack for $6.75 from JetPens)
Prismacolor Col-Erase (Scarlet Red). This is the illustrator/animator’s favorite tool for sketching. The advantage of the Col-Erase is that it does not smear or smudge like graphite, it will erase and even if you don’t erase, if you draw over with black ink, when the artwork is scanned, the “red” channel can be dropped out and VOILA! no sketch lines.
Tombow Mono100 F. This is a premium upscale Japanese pencil. It’s a bit softer but not super smudgy. It looks good and the matte finish doesn’t get slick. Other grades are available but the F is FINE. The Mitsubishi Hi-Uni is equally good but aesthetically, I prefer the Tombow Mono100. ($2.35 each at JetPens)
Koh-i-noor Magic Pencil. If you know me, you know I love Magic Pencils. These gems have blended red, yellow and blue into the core of the pencil. For doodling and sketching, if its good enough for Milton Glaser, its good enough for me. ($2.25 from CWPencils.com)
Sharpie Peel-Off China Marker. With a China Marker, the brand doesn’t matter but everyone should have one in their arsenal. It is essentially a grown up crayon that can be used to mark glass, plastic, cardboard, wood and other surfaces. You know when you go to a thrift store and the prices are written on all the ceramic mugs and glasses in what looks like crayon? Bingo! There is a strip of paper wrapped around a stick of waxed crayon and there’s a bit of string that you pull to tear the paper a bit to “sharpen” the marker. They are great fun to draw with on big sheet of paper or mark lumber or price your yard sale items. Grab a black and a white and they will last a lifetime. (Dermatograph China Marker $2.60 each from CWPencils.com)