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:
(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
It's easy to forget that gems and precious stones don't came out of the ground looking perfectly shaped and polished. While these rocks are highly desirable, they also require considerable effort to find and prepare before they're ready to be placed in a jewelry setting. Like most other things, they start deep in the earth and take on the same colors as earth: dusty, dark, dank shades with a lack of clarity and shine. There's certainly a beauty in the rawness of untouched gems.
Kala Nostalgia Gemstone Star Garnet is one in a series of inks that showcase the raw beauty of precious stones prior to discovery and shaping. Fitting with the idea of nearly indestructible materials and heavy metals, the ink is also highly water resistant. The gray undertone has subtle pops of dusty purple that provide a glimpse into the beauty that may lay beneath the ancient surface.
If you're not familiar, pigmented inks are a bit more permanent than regular water-based inks because they include microscopic particles in the ink that bond with the paper. This means that when the ink is exposed to water it mostly stays put. Water-based ink mostly wash away when exposed to water, so this can be a highly sought after quality if you need to ensure your work isn't compromised if you're caught in a rain storm or spill a drink on your paper. Prolonged submersion may be a bit too much for most inks (and papers) to handle, but reasonable real-world circumstances are mostly an acceptable challenge for pigmented inks.
Kala have several other pigmented ink options, so they're no stranger to the process. The ink goes on smooth when writing and dries fairly quickly. In my testing with a wet medium cursive italic nib, my writing was dry and smudge-proof after about 12-15 seconds — and even a few seconds faster with a fine nib.
Likewise, water drip and submersion tests were impressive. There is some noticeable blur around the edges of the ink lines, but there's no wash-out or streaking at all. The lines are easy to read and it's almost indiscernible that there was ever any water on the paper.
The coloring of this ink is mostly medium gray with a hint of dusty purple in some of the shades. It's a pleasant and neutral color that adds plenty of visual interest to your writing when compared to a standard black ink. It's certainly not going to win any awards for being bold or colorful, but it's also not boring. Pigmented inks are traditional pretty bland in the color wheel due to the type of pigments used in the ink. Bright colors are hard to achieve, so make sure your expectations are set properly.
There's not much in the way of shading, but the gray is a little darker in areas that the ink pools or takes longer to dry. Again, it's a straight-forward ink that gets the job done without any flash.
If you're looking for a work-safe, semi-permanent ink that dries quickly and fares well in humid or wet conditions, this is a great place to start. If Star Garnet isn't your thing, there a few other colors to pick from as well.
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
Esterbrook has done it again with the launch of the new Peacock and Rocky Top Esties, available starting today at Pen Chalet.
Once again, these new Esterbrook’s will use US-made DiamondCast material for the barrel, this time with beautiful blended colors, complimenting the previously released solid colors of the Sparkle collection.
Each of these new pens has a story to tell, so head over to Pen Chalet and check out the new Peacock and Rocky Top Esterbrook models. They are both so beautiful, how will you decide which is the perfect one for you, or for a special pen friend this holiday season?
My thanks to Kenro Industries for sponsoring The Pen Addict this week.
If I were wanting to try out a planner for the first time in 2021, the setup of this Leuchtturm1917 2021 Monthly Planner Notebook would be very tempting. The front of the book contains a series of 2-page per month calendars, running through February 2022, which are followed by 138 dot grid notebook pages do do with as you please. It’s a great setup if you ask me.
I have one of these to give away in the Pacific Blue color, so read the rules below and enter away!
Preparing to edit the 2014 State of the Union. (via @ObamawhiteHouse)
Pen choices say a lot about a person, so it should come as no surprise that Barack Obama has great taste in writing instruments. We discuss his diehard commitment to the Uni-ball Vision Elite, rave about the latest from Field Notes, and owner what is going on over there at Retro 51.
(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!)
I've reviewed a Kamio Japan Paco-Tray Case before, but it's a good enough case that it's worth revisiting, especially because this one has Pikachu on it. Originally, it was only available in some fairly plain colors, but now you can get them with all sorts of fun characters and in a lot more striking designs.
To recap:
It is a simple rectangular cuboid in a clamshell-style with the zip opening lengthwise across the front and side edges. It's made of nylon canvas and has a double zipper, which is always a plus. When opened, the inside lining blooms like an accordion into three separate trays. Magnets in the spine snap together to hold the case open. When you close it, the dividers hold the contents nested in those trays, so everything stays neat and orderly and is easy to find when you need it. If you overstuff the pockets (lol if), there may be a few things that smoosh out into other compartments, but otherwise it does a great job of keeping things separated. When the case is closed, the magnet in the spine can be used to attach the case to a metal surface, like the front of a desk drawer.
Despite its small size, the case can hold a surprisingly large number of pens. A few dozen easily, plus accessories. It is, alas, too short to hold some wood case pencils at their full length, but once they've been sharpened down a bit, they'd fit, too. The rectangle shape makes it easy to fit in bags alongside books and other pen cases.
One downside is that you can't just open one end of the case and dig out a random pen. Because of that tray lining, the case has to be opened the whole way to get to anything. So, it's great for sitting down to a work station, but not great for quick access.
Since I first reviewed this over a year ago, I can now also attest to its durability. My eldest has been using my old one for his school pens for the past year, and it has not disintegrated the way everything else in his backpack does. This Pikachu version was immediately claimed by my youngest, who drags it around the house full of markers, ready for spontaneous illustration.
Standard design cases are $16 on JetPens, and character cases sell for $17.50. It's a really good price for a sturdy, well designed case. Someday I might even get to keep one for myself.
(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!
(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)
The Kokuyo ME Notebook is an A5-sized (210 x 148 mm), seventy-page ruled notebook. The cover is made of shiny cardstock with a geometrical pattern and copper/gold tape on the spine.
It is perfect bound, which means that the book block of single pages (rather than sewn signatures) is glued into the casing. With some pressure, you can get the notebook to lie flat.
I couldn't find any information about the kind of paper used in this notebook or its weight. It feels thicker than Tomoe River Paper. It is off-white with 6mm ruled lines in grey. The top of each page is labeled with "Title," and the bottom has a place for the date.
The paper is smooth to the touch, but when I wrote my long writing sample, I noticed a tiny bit of tooth. I wasn't bothered by this at all. In fact, I liked the fact that there was some resistance under my nib.
I tested the paper with ten different fountain pens and inks. Although it handled fine and medium nibs well, there was a tiny bit of bleed through with wetter inks and show through is quite visible.
Swabs cause the paper to buckle. The ink looks good and you can see varying shades and pooling. The paper brings out a little sheen in the inks and some bleed through occurred.
I also tested various pens and pencils. The Sharpie Ultra Fine Point bled through and show through was visible for most of the pens.
The Kokuyo Notebook is lightweight and can get bent with normal use. The binding tape pulls away easily, though the glued spine seems fairly stable.
The paper in the Kokuyo notebook is pleasant to write on, but it does exhibit both bleed through and show through with some inks and nibs. I'm not impressed with the notebook's construction. If it is thrown in a bag with other books, it will get beat up pretty quickly.
(Vanness Pens provided the Kokuyo Notebook free of charge to 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!
My thanks to Kenro Industries for sponsoring The Pen Addict this week.
Two beautiful new Esterbrook colors have hit the market, just in time for the holidays. Both Peacock and Rocky Top Esterbrook Esties are available today at Pen Chalet.
Once again, these new Esties will use US-made DiamondCast material for the barrel, now with beautiful blended colors, complimenting the previously released solid colors of the Sparkle collection.
These new Esterbrooks will make a great gift for a pen friend, or even yourself, so don’t delay!
The calendar is about to flip - do you have your planner ready? This Leuchtturm1917 2021 Monthly Planner Notebook would make a great choice for anyone just getting into the planning game. The winner of this giveaway is:
Congrats Tim! I’ve sent you an email to collect your shipping address.
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:
It’s last call for my 2021 planner giveaway, with this cool Midori MD Diary 2021 A5 Thin ready to help you get organized next year. Midori keeps this one simple and beautiful, with a two-page per month layout in the front, an 80 grid-ruled pages throughout the remainder of this notebook. There is even an A4 size if you wanted to go big. Read the rules below and get to entering!
(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
As far as pencil sharpeners go, I've never been too picky. My go-to sharpeners include the T'Gaal adjustable point and the Sonic Ratchetta. They're incredibly easy to use and also collect pencil shavings for easy cleanup. They also require zero skill, which I didn't know could be a thing in terms of picking a sharpener.
I recently picked up a couple of Dux sharpeners to try out because they 1) look really cool and 2) are incredibly small and easy to store in just about any bag or pouch, making it easy to always have a sharpener on hand. The two I decided to try out are the Dux Brass Single Hole Block sharpener and the Dux Brass Adjustable sharpener. They're both made of brass (except for the blades) and have handy grooves machined into the sides for additional grip. Over the past couple of weeks, I've been struggling with using these two sharpeners, and I'm still not sure if it's pure user error or just the fact that these sharpeners require a level of skill that I'm not prepared to work up to.
Let's start off with the single sharpener. This is the smaller of the two and comes in at just $7, it's the more affordable of the two. Sure, it's expensive compared to other simple sharpeners, but it is made solid brass. The sharpener is pretty easy to use, but it can be hard to hold depending on how hard the wood is in the pencil you're sharpening. Since it's so small, I've noticed that it slips easily and requires me to use a firmer grip than I'd like. I quickly learned that this pencil sharpener doesn't have an automatic stop, or brake, that prevents you from over-sharpening a pencil. If you're wondering what over-sharpening looks like, check out the Field Notes pencil in these images. After the graphite point hits a certain length, it just keeps growing longer like Pinocchio's nose. Not a useful trait for a pencil since it will snap at the slightest pressure. Aside from that little gotcha, this sharpener works just fine. It's not overly pleasant to use, but it gets the job done.
Moving on to the adjustable sharpener, I was incredibly underwhelmed. Out of the box, the adjustable dial wouldn't budge. I spent several minutes trying everything I could think of to unlock the secret formula and gesture to dislodge the dial, but nothing work. Eventually, I got out a screwdriver and disassembled the sharpener. On a hunch, I decided to reverse the direction that the small pin faces that keeps the dial gently notched in to the three settings. Sure enough, after re-assembling the sharpener and trying out the dial, it worked perfectly. Now, I'm completely aware that manufacturing is a difficult nut to crack, but this level of quality control seems unfortunately low. This sharpener comes in at $22, which is quite a premium when compared to other options — especially when the expensive feature is (in my case) broken out of the box.
After playing around with the different settings, I quickly learned that you have to experiment with different angles to hold the sharpener in relation to the pencil. In all honesty, I went through at least three pencils trying to improve my technique with this sharpener. I finally got it down, but it's important to note that I don't think it's reasonable that a purpose-built sharpener require practice. What really killed this sharpener for me was the fact that I couldn't successfully sharpen a pencil on the #3 setting, but more on that in a bit.
The adjustable nature of this sharpener allows you to control (to a small extent) how "sharp" or pointy the graphite tip becomes when you sharpen it. Setting #1 is the more blunt option, with the brake positioned closest to the tip. This produces a pretty nice point, but it's a little dull for my taste. Setting #2 is my favorite of the three, but it takes care and attention to achieve. Due to the wide gap of the opening hole, you have to sharpen the wooden part of the pencil and then change the angle so that the graphite comes in contact with the blade. It's tricky, but not too difficult.
Setting #3 caused me a lot of grief and is responsible for my wasted pencils. No matter what I did, I could not finish sharpening a pencil to a point without breaking the point halfway up the cone of the pencil (see picture for a good reference). After two and a half pencils, I finally gave up and decided to avoid that setting for good. It was really frustrating, and I'm not sure I'll ever forgive it.
One final nail in the coffin for both of these sharpeners is the lack of a shaving collection bin. This is completely due to the tiny and portable nature of these sharpeners, and I totally understand that. Just know that these kinds of sharpeners will make a mess — mostly from the graphite sharpening instead of the wood shavings!
Ultimately, I'm glad I tried these sharpeners out. I know there are other small, portable options for sharpeners that are cheaper and better. I also know that in a pinch, I'm much better at sharpening a pencil with a sharp knife over these two sharpeners.
I really can't recommend these based on my experience alone, but I'd love to know if I'm just "holding it wrong" or something similar. In case you're interested, you can pick up a single hole sharpener or the adjustable cousin over at JetPens, or you can look at much better options as well.
(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!
(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!)
If you follow Brad's Twitch streams, you'll know Scribo Ink as the ink that goes "thunk." It's a generous 90 ml blown-glass ink bottle in a lovely, creative design that stacks, if you collect a few of them. And once you've tried one, you'll want a few of them.
This is my first Scribo ink, but it won't be my last. This Grigio color lives somewhere at the intersection of grey, teal, and blue, and now so do I. It immediately ranks as a favorite on color alone, but it's also a very well-behaved ink.
The ink is wet and flows nicely, but has a very reasonable dry time of around 20 seconds on Rhodia paper. It shows shading beautifully, and even has a very slight sheen if you get a nice pool of it. It has almost no water resistance, and even the spot where I very carefully dabbed at the water drop is totally washed away, though the ink sat for two days between writing and water test. There's no feathering or bleeding.
Chromatography shows a complex formula for this enchanting color. There's a charcoal tone, with a soft slate blue, and a rose color that insists on photographing as brown, though it's very definitely pink-ish. The rose is a total surprise, making this one of the more delightful inks I've tested. When writing, it's dark enough to be an everyday ink, but it has enough variation in shade that it's more fun that a typical blue-black (sorry, Brad).
Beautiful, clever bottle, check. Gorgeous, complex color, check. Well-behaved writing, check. This ink wins at everything and I totally love it. The huge bottle sells for $39 at Vanness Pens. It's an expensive ink, but not unreasonably so, considering how much you get. Plus, the heavy bottle will help keep your papers from blowing away in a hurricane.
(Vanness Pens 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!
Theme System Version 2 is here! Myke and I break it all down, then I take up the task of finding a new mechanical pencil for a certain TV host who didn’t ask for my help BUT I’M STILL GIVING IT!
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.
(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)
Back in 2017, I reviewed my first Moo Notebook (here). They sent us another one to review in 2020. To be honest, nothing much has changed, except this time the paper is dot grid instead of lined (and it doesn't come with a pencil). That said, this is such a well-made notebook, it's worth reviewing again, especially if some readers have never heard of it.
The notebook comes encased in a slip cover. This protects the edges and bottom of the notebook and makes for easy archiving later.
The cover is made of soft, lightly-textured cloth. Since I've begun bookbinding, I really appreciate a nicely-bound book.
A couple of extras are included. There's a bookmark ribbon and a business card holder you can tape inside.
A distinctive feature of the Moo Notebook is that the book is not glued in at the spine. Not only does this show off the beautiful Swiss binding, but it also allows the pages to lay flat when the book is opened. I think it looks cool and is a neat little piece of craftsmanship.
The front page is made of textured card stock that protects the pages beneath it.
Inside are 160 pages of white Swedish Munken Kristall 100 gsm paper with soft grey dots. In the lower corner is a circle for page numbers (or any other symbols you'd like to insert).
The paper is smooth and thick, handling fountain pens with ease. None of the ink bled, even when using broader nibs. I did notice some show through and a tiny bit of bleed through on the other side of the paper.
I used my Nakaya Dorsal Fin with a flex nib and Iroshizuku Tsukushi ink to write a longer writing sample. The paper is excellent for writing--smooth but not too slick.
Ink swabs look bright and true-to-color on the paper. However, there's not much sheen. Some of the ink bled through to the other side, and the paper buckled from the moisture.
In the middle of the book you'll find sixteen pages of G. F. Smith's Colorplan 135 gsm paper.
This paper is meant for drawing, presumably, although I tested it with pens, swabs, and painting. The paper has texture to it, so finer tines can get caught. There was no show or bleed through, but I did notice a bit of bleeding because this paper is more absorbent.
The green paper (it looks white in the photos) affected the colors of the swabbed inks, dulling them slightly. A bit more sheen was displayed, and there was no show or bleed through at all.
I also tried a watercolor with a tiny bit of bleach in the wash and the inks used in my swabs. Although the paper buckled, it handled the bleach wash, inks, and multiple layers of brushstrokes without any bleed through.
The Moo Hardcover Notebook is simply a gorgeous piece of craftsmanship. I love how it feels in my hands. The paper is top-notch, and the binding is unique and functional. At $19.99, I think it is a terrific value. You can purchase the Moo Hardcover Notebook directly from the Moo website. The notebook comes in the following color combinations (the color of the cover is followed by the color of the Colorplan pages): Jet Black/Duck Egg (the notebook reviewed here); Sky Blue/Pastel Pink; Berry Red/Turquoise; Lime Green/Steel Blue; Wine Red/Lavender; Midnight Blue/Tan; and Charcoal Grey/Mint. You can choose either lined or dot grid paper.
(Moo 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!
My thanks to Schon DSGN for sponsoring The Pen Addict this week.
Ian Schon makes some of the best, and most unique, pocket pens on the market. From the Classic Machined ballpoint pen to the Pocket Six fountain pen, Schon DSGN is the perfect holiday gift for you, your friends, or your family this holiday season.
Head over to Schon DSGN and gaze at the amazing lineup of pens, materials, and colors.
Do you have your planner ready for 2021? This Midori MD Diary 2021 A5 Thin would make a great choice for someone just getting started with getting organized. And the winner is:
Congrats Erik! I’ve sent you an email to collect your shipping address.
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:
It's going to be a light week of content here at The Pen Addict, but that won't keep me off the internet! Join me, Elizabeth, and whichever other family members (even the furry ones) show up today at Twitch.tv/PenAddict for a Holiday AMA. I’ve you’ve never joined one of my Twitch streams before, then today is the perfect jumping in point. Come hang out and join in on the fun!
