To me it says a lot about a company the way they treat an email or Facebook/Instagram message out of the blue, whether it’s from a customer or a reviewer. I contact a lot of brands (and a few have reached out to me first, which is always nice) and I see all kinds of … Continue reading Getting the cold shoulder
Month: Sep 2020
Shining a light on Loft Pens
One of my greatest pleasures writing this blog is to introduce you to independent makers that might not be on your radar. Leonard Slattery, Rockster, Applied Pens, John Garnham, Eureka, Kasama... I'm building up quite a list. Every one of these makers does things their own way, showing their personality and their vision for what … Continue reading Shining a light on Loft Pens
Eight second chances to get it right
Looking over my pen tray I am often struck by how many pens I have sold, only to later repurchase. You might well say: if you liked it enough to rebuy it, why did you sell it in the first place?! It’s a fair question, but I have a few answers. Sometimes (as the song … Continue reading Eight second chances to get it right
Does Brutalism have a place in pen design? Hands on with the Namisu Naos Ti
When I get a pen in for review, I often sit with a blank sheet of paper in front of me and freely jot down the observations or ideas that occur to me about it. With the Namisu Naos, one of the first things I wrote down was ‘Brutalist’. Its severe, angular barrel in matte … Continue reading Does Brutalism have a place in pen design? Hands on with the Namisu Naos Ti
Benu, cartridges, interviews, queues and more
A few days ago I started writing a September 'State of the Collection' post. But the scale of the task has overwhelmed me. With more than 20 posts since the August SotC, and at least as many pens in and out... well, I figured nobody would want to read a post that long. But I … Continue reading Benu, cartridges, interviews, queues and more
Karas Ink v2: all killer, no filler
I reviewed the previous generation of the Karas Ink a little over a year ago. I really wanted to like it, and I could see the heart of a good pen in it, but it had a few annoyances that I simply couldn't get over. Karas has reengineered the Ink, releasing this edition, the v2, … Continue reading Karas Ink v2: all killer, no filler
Esterbrook Pen Nook v2: new solutions, new problems
The Esterbrook Pen Nook v2, or “Nook Navy”, is undoubtedly a better pen case than the first version, which I reviewed a little over a year ago. But while making a load of changes, Esterbrook has introduced a couple of new problems that you should be aware of. Kenro sent me the six-pen version of … Continue reading Esterbrook Pen Nook v2: new solutions, new problems
Plenty of passion in the Leonardo Furore Grande
It's easy to see why Leonardo is one of the modern darlings of the fountain pen scene. From the first Momento Zero, which I reviewed back in 2018, the Italian company has kept up a breakneck pace of releases, with dozens of pretty resins, ebonite, arco, Grande models, music nibs, and the release of an … Continue reading Plenty of passion in the Leonardo Furore Grande
Review: Kaweco Special Aluminium Blue Limited Edition
Although I’ve used and reviewed many Kawecos over the years, I’d never once even had the Special flutter across my radar. I wonder whether the same is true for you? The Supra, Liliput, even the Perkeo seem to attract more attention. But when this Blue Limited Edition popped up, my attention was piqued at last, … Continue reading Review: Kaweco Special Aluminium Blue Limited Edition
How can all these pen companies survive?
Oldwin and Onoto and Otto Hutt. Montegrappa and Monteverde and Montblanc. Edison, Desiderata, Franklin-Christoph, Newton, Birmingham. Caran d’Ache, Conway Stewart. Scribo, Cleo Skribent. Parker, Sheaffer, Waterman, Cross. ST Dupont, Graf von Faber-Castell. Tibaldi and Leonardo and the ghosts of Delta and Omas, and new Maiora and newly active Pineider. ASC, Bexley, Wahl-Eversharp. Esterbrook, Conklin. Nakaya … Continue reading How can all these pen companies survive?
UK fountain pens 