Diplomat Traveller Flame & Deep Purple Fountain Pens for $56USD

Thank you to LSF and Diplomat in Canada for providing these pens (and inks) for me to share with you. 

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If you enjoy and/or appreciate and you want to lend your continued support, please do check me out on Patreon. You can pledge your support and/or undying love for as little as $1. You are in no way obligated to do so. I appreciate your readership, viewership, and your support so much - thank you! 

Tianzi White Piston-Filling Fountain Pen - Snowy for December!

Thank you to Fine Wordz for sending this Tianzi for me to check out and share with you! You can find one at Scrittura Elegante!
You can visit Mysteryhouse Crafts on Etsy to buy directly.

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If you enjoy and/or appreciate and you want to lend your continued support, please do check me out on Patreon. You can pledge your support and/or undying love for as little as $1. You are in no way obligated to do so. I appreciate your readership, viewership, and your support so much - thank you! 

Cross Townsend Star Wars Limited Edition Chewbacca Fountain Pen

Thank you to Appelboom for loaning me this GRAAA pen so I could share it with you! Don't forget you can use the code 'friend' for 10% off your purchases (excluding Montblanc, alas). 

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If you enjoy and/or appreciate and you want to lend your continued support, please do check me out on Patreon. You can pledge your support and/or undying love for as little as $1. You are in no way obligated to do so. I appreciate your readership, viewership, and your support so much - thank you! 

The P.W. Akkerman x Gourmet Pens Pink Ink Collaboration:
Need some more PINK in your life?

/ᐠ｡ꞈ｡ᐟ\*ᵖᵘʳʳ*

P.W. Akkerman
Vanness Pens
Lemur Ink
Bookbinders Design
Laywine's (call or email)

Sailor Shikiori Fountain Pen Ink Cartridges Make Great Gifts! Also, They're Very Adorable.

Sailor keeps changing things up with their fountain pen inks - the ink used to come in those squat little 50 ml with the plastic cup inside, then without the cup, then they discontinue them, then they re-release them at a higher price, then they remove the cup (ok, that was a good move), then they drop them to 20 ml and they are expensive per ml. The most recent launch is the set of 20 Shikiori ink colors in adorable little portable cases with three cartridges inside. They're silly and adorable and I am a sucker for cute things like this, even though I certainly do not need them. I convinced myself using a few arguments but one was that having a few Sailor cartridges on hand that are not Sailor black (the standard that comes with a fountain pen). 

I was at Take Note just a few days ago and saw them on the shelf. Le sigh. They just have the look of tidy and simple that appeals to me. The entire set is so organized and looks so appealing and I am just a big sucker for this. Soooo as I said, I didn't need them but they come in this tiny adorable little carry case with a tiny adorable little sleeve and they were sitting in their little bookshelf home urging me to select some of them. ONEOFUS.ONEOFUS. Except it's four of them and I ended up with: Okuyama, Rikyucha, Sakuramori, and Yamadori. I don't need the whole set so I just picked out a few of my favorites and I haven't even tried Sakuramori before so this was for science so I had no choice. ⁣

Yamadori is a favorite of mine - Copper Pheasant Teal - sounds like the name from one of those weird memes where your day/month/year of birth = Copper/Pheasant/Teal. Um. Wikipedia says the copper pheasant, or the Soemmerring's pheasant (Syrmaticus soemmerringii) is endemic to Japan the name makes sense. It's a stunning blue-green teal with red sheen. 

Each individual box at Take Note is $9CAD - none of Sailor's ink is inexpensive but I these are a neat novelty for me and I'll definitely use them and reuse the cartridges. The full set is $165CAD at Take Note but I love that Jolanta has made the individual colors available for purchase. I can't drop 165 right now for the full set but I can split a few boxes with a friend or two and it's not too bad. 

Rikyucha - Tea Green Brown - is a strange green brown motor oil-type color that shades well and looks fantastic in a wide, wet nib like a Pilot Parallel. I have so few colors like this. Come to think of it, this is the only ink I have in this color family, which would be ... green? Brown? Breen? I guess Tea Green Brown is an apt name.

Okuyama - Remote Mountain - is a red-brown-magenta-bordeaux? I'm really not good at describing colors but I am very good at being thrilled by them. Last but not least, Sakuramori caught my eye because it just looks like a sweet, happy little pink. It is Cherry Blossom Pink, which does not surprise me in the least because by now, I know what sakura is, and it also looks like a pink cherry blossom. I'm expecting a nice soft pink. I have obviously not swatched all these new ones and I happened to have a smear of Rikyucha but I obviously was not ready to pop these bad boys in a pen. 

The best part about these is I think they are a superb gift idea! The back of the box has a little picture on how to use the cartridge and I feel like these are just easier to understand than if you give a newbie a fountain pen, converter, and a bottle of ink. The cartridge is more convenient to travel with and everything. Of course, Sailor cartridges are not a new thing but up to now, it has just been the standard range of colors - black, blue - useful but not thrilling for me. FINALLY! Some fun Sailor cartridges!

Review: Pelikan Classic M205 Aquamarine Fountain Pen Review @AppelboomLaren

A big thank you to Appelboom for sending this over for review! I saw him post a picture on Instagram and the very next day, there was one at my door.

ABOUT

Body Material: Resin
Trim: Metal (Silver)
Nib material: Steel
Cap: Screw-on
Posts: Yes, friction
Length (capped): 125.2 mm/4.92"
Length (uncapped): 121.6 mm/4.78"
Length (posted): 149.7 mm/5.89"
Diameter (barrel): 11.5 mm/0.45"
Diameter (section): 9.0 - 9.9 mm/0.35" - 0.38"
Weight (all): 12 g
Weight (cap):  4 g
Weight (body): 8 g
Fill type: Piston-filler
Price: €150,00 (outside the EU): €123,97
Where to buy: Appelboom

Discount Code for Appelboom: friend

PACKAGING

I admit I am not the biggest fan of Pelikan's standard gift boxes. They do the job, but never feel inspired or fun. I also never use them. That is (somewhat) changed here! The Aquamarine pen here comes in a small gift set - a solid, plastic coated two flap gift box hugs the box in the middle. The outside is white with aquamarine colored ink swirls, and the front has the following print: Pelikan Classic M205 & Edelstein Ink - Aquamarine. The box on the inside holds the pen and a matching bottle of the Pelikan Edelstein Aquamarine ink of the year from 2016. It feels more like a special edition with packaging that is made just for the pen and ink combination. Probably not something that is worth keeping, but it's nice presentation and is more fun than the standard box.

APPEARANCE

The M205 model is on the smaller side when you compare it to the rest of the Souverän series. It is larger than the M300, the same size as the M400, and smaller than the 600/800/1000. It shares the shape and design of the Souverän series, but has a simpler look.

This Classic M205 is a round pen with slightly rounded off ends. The finial is a silver-on-black modern Pelikan logo. The silver colored clip is attached externally, and like the Souverän series, it is shaped like a pelican's bill. The center band is at the end of the cap. It is a thin, silver colored band, engraved with Pelikan Germany. The section is fairly small, with a pinched shape. It flares out into a ridge before the nib.

The fun part about this pen is, of course, the color! The cap, barrel, section, and piston-turning knob are a medium  dark, frosted aquamarine color. The frosty look matches that of last year's Classic M205 Amethyst - it is sort of cloudy, not clear and completely polished. If you are looking for a truly clear blue-green pen, this frosted color will likely disappoint you.

The deep blue green color is complemented by the bright, polished, silver colored trim, and matching polished steel nib.

NIB & PERFORMANCE

The nib is a fine stainless steel nib. It has a single slit and a round breather hole and it is engraved with Pelikan, the Pelikan logo, and the nib size (F). I like the nib design - it is clean, and looks attractive. The nib is also very shiny, so it looks extra pretty!

My experiences with the M2XX series of steel nibs has always been very positive, and this one is no different. The fine nib has a bit of feedback, but it is a well polished, well tuned nib. It is not scratchy, and of course, the feedback is a result of it being a fine. It is a fairly wet nib, with average to fast drying times, and great line variation.

The nib does not skip or hard start, and it handles fast writing and long writing sessions with ease. With normal writing, you get a Western fine - not super fine and on the wet side. With some pressure, the nib goes from a fine to broad, and ink flow keeps up surprisingly well. It is truly a lovely nib, and it makes for an excellent starter nib, or a workhorse daily carry pen. As I said with the Classic M205 Amethyst, which had a solid performance with its fine nib, it is a great every day user.

IN HAND

The clip was nice and springy - it was easy to operate one-handed. The pen was also lightweight enough that the clip could handle the weight of the pen.

The section, although small, was comfortable with its pinched shape. The lip at the end helped keep my grip in place. I did not find it slippery at all, nor did I find the threads at the end sharp or uncomfortable. I like the size and shape of the section and the pen in  my hand.

Unposted, the pen was lightweight and comfortable. It is on the smaller side, but was well-balanced in hand. The cap posted by friction, seating deeply and securely. Posted, the pen was still well-balanced and comfortable, and the added length made the pen more usable for longer writing sessions.

PROS & CONS

OVERALL

I really love the M2XX series by Pelikan. There have been and still are several colors to choose from, and the nib range is very decent - Extra Fine to Broad. They are usually not too difficult to get, until their production time is up, and the nibs perform well. The nib units are also interchangeable and unscrew without any tools. You can clean and maintain the pen pretty easily at home.

I like this Aquamarine color a lot, though I admit I would love to see a clear version of it instead. The gift set is the perfect duo to give to a friend.

Of course, you can find a pen with a steel nib for less, and I do think the price tag on this is quite steep. Last year, the M205 Amethyst was € 125, so an extra € 25 for the ink is a bit insane. It's more reasonable when you purchase it without VAT, and it's still overpriced, but maybe less painful. Of course, you could do worse. This pen is also available on its own (without the ink) but I have not seen it on Appelboom's site yet. It's still relatively affordable, and it is quite enjoyable, but whether it's worth the price tag can only be decided by you!

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I received this item on loan for the purposes of this review. I was not compensated monetarily for my review. Everything you've read here is my own opinion.

Review: J. Herbin Tempête Fountain Pen Gift Set @NoteMakerTweets

I have used J. Herbin's other fountain pen, and while it is a decent, affordable fountain pen, it is quite small and a bit cheap. The nib is also not the most amazing thing ever. I've had my eye on this Tempête (Tempest) for awhile because with so many other great things - sealing wax, seals, inks, blotters, and more, surely J. Herbin must make a better pen as well!

ABOUT

Body Material: Acrylic
Trim: Chrome
Nib material: Steel + iridium
Filling system: Eyedropper (includes eyedropper)
Cap: Threaded
Posts: Yes, friction
Length (capped): 153.2 mm/6.03"
Length (uncapped nib-end): 136.4 mm/5.37"
Length (posted): 172.0 mm/6.77"
Barrel Diameter: 7.9 - 12.5 mm/0.31" - 0.49"
Section Diameter:10.0 - 11.3 mm/0.39" - 0.44"
Weight (all): 24 g
Weight (cap): 8 g
Weight (body): 16 g
Price: $143.80 USD
Where to buy:

NoteMaker

PACKAGING

This Tempête fountain pen and ink gift set is beautifully presented in a slim, matte black box. The lid has the J. Herbin logo ship in a glossy black printed on it, along with "Depuis 1670". It's large but it has a very interesting look with the glossy black on the matte black. It's a rather sexy box.

Inside, there is the fountain pen, four 10 ml glass bottles of ink, a J. Herbin branded eyedropper, a certificate of authenticity, and a small notebook with brand, pen, and ink details. It's a great set to get you going with fountain pens. Everything is snugly held in place in a foam bed - nice and safe. I would keep this box!

APPEARANCE

I really like this Tempête. The shape appeals to me very much. It has a round cap and barrel, a long, torpedo-shaped end, and a slightly rounded conical finial. The finial is chrome, and is connected to the clip. The clip is probably my least favorite part of this pen - it is short, relative to the cap, unmarked, and has a rather dull shape. I guess it looks like a paddle or something, maybe? I don't care for it, anyhow.

The center band is a wide chrome band near the end of the cap, set almost flush in the red acrylic of the cap. It is engraved with J. Herbin and Paris. I like this - it's simple and smoothly set in the acrylic so it's nice and clean.

The section is pretty short compared to the barrel, and is a solid red like the cap. It is round and smooth, tapering ever so slightly towards the nib and ending in a bit of a flared lip. This part is a bit messy - there are rough parts of plastic sticking out. It isn't terrible, but for the price of the package, I feel like it should look a bit better. At the back of the section, there is an O-ring that is smaller than the diameter of the section so there is a small gap between the section and the barrel threads. An O-ring that fills that gap properly would look better, although this is functional.

The barrel is unbranded, which keeps it clean for looking through and seeing all your ink. Whether you're looking at your ink or not, it shows off the large, clear ink reservoir well. The end of the barrel is a long, tapered, clear, polished acrylic piece. I love this effect, and ink looks great sloshing around in there. The clear block at the end, where ink does not reach, is sort of like a magical fountain pen crystal. Am I the only one who feels this way about these clear end bits?

There are other color versions of this pen, but I really like the bright, cherry red of the cap and section. The clear would be really awesome, no doubt. I like this pen. It's pretty, and the full size makes it look even better than the small J. Herbin fountain pen.

NIB & PERFORMANCE

The nib on this pen is fantastic. It is a large nib - I assume a #6? I haven't measured it, but it's definitely larger than J. Herbin's other fountain pen. It is a medium nib, with a single slit and a round breather hole. The center of the nib is engraved with the J. Herbin ship logo, and J. Herbin. One tine shoulder says Depuis, and the other says 1670. Who doesn't want a ship on their nib??

Ok, ignoring how nifty it looks, how does it write? Much better than I thought it would, because I was expecting something like the smaller fountain pen - decent enough but writes like a $10 pen. According to the papers included, this is a medium nib. It is quite pleasant - fairly firm, smooth, wet, consistent ink flow, no skips or hard starts, and it keeps up with normal writing, faster writing, and it doesn't run dry during long writing sessions. Assuming your ink reservoir isn't empty, of course. Although the nib is firm, I can squeeze out a bit of line variation if I really must, except not without a fair amount of pressure.

As an eyedropper, the pen performs well. I didn't have any ink leaking or burping while the barrel was full of ink. If I flicked the pen or tossed it around, a few drops got into the cap, but that's pretty normal stuff. It didn't start blorping ink as I wrote. There are quite a few section threads so with an O-ring and a bit of silicone grease, it seems pretty leak resistant.

IN HAND

The clip, although I don't like how it looks, is great. It's nice, snug, slides on and off pockets, pouches, and papers really easily and smoothly. It's a very useful clip. The section has smooth threads and it is not slippery. I find the lip at the end sharp, and I grip low - over the bottom edge of the section, so that's a little bit bitey. I have to keep pulling my grip back, off the edge.

Unposted, the pen is a comfortable length, weight, and balance. The cap can be posted by friction. The cap is pretty long and it does sit deeply, but it still feels long, top heavy, and for my hands, unbalanced. Given the length, I think most people could use this comfortably in the unposted set up.

The eyedropper that accompanies the pen is cute and effective, although a bit tough to squeeze. Any eyedropper will do, should you lose or break this one. Heck, you can even just pour your ink directly into the barrel from the bottle if you have a good hand. I've tried. Narrow mouths work best to minimize ink disasters. The finish of the pen looks great upon arrival. With weeks of use, I can see the bright polish of the barrel becoming a little dull from all the micro scratches. Fear not: it's still more than clear enough to see your ink!

The four bottles of ink are not my absolute favorite J. Herbin ink colors, but there are so many colors in the line up. I like a few, though. The four colors included in the Red set are: Rouge Caroubier, Rouge Opéra, Rouge Bourgogne, and Terre de Feu. My favorites of these four would be the Rouge Bourgogne, and Terre de Feu - they aren't too light, and they shade nicely.

PROS & CONS

OVERALL

Considering 4 x 10 ml ink bottles, an eyedropper, and the Tempête fountain pen, this is a pretty cool gift set. At NoteMaker, four inks go for $21.54USD (or so), and the set is $143, so if we pretend the pen itself is $122, it's an expensive pen. It's an acrylic pen, an eyedropper filler, and has a larger steel nib. Well tuned, looks good, but what do you think? I think the fountain pen is too expensive, but it is a pretty unique pen. The set itself is quite nice, attractive presentation, and it's a great idea for someone who loves fountain pens. Or for yourself, if you want to try the pen and have a few bottles of ink to carry around.

I received this pen free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not compensated monetarily for my review. Everything you've read here is my own opinion. There are no affiliate links in this review.