Welcome to the first of two guest posts from the inestimable Claire. I follow her sharp-tongued posts religiously on Instagram, and while I don't always agree with her, I think her voice is well worth sharing... with minimal editing. Speak truth, Claire! Hello! And welcome to my random, candid (read: snarky), stream-of-consciousness style musings on … Continue reading Guest post: fountain pen truths, part one
editorial
Why I bought an Otto Hutt designC
Long-term readers may remember my review last year of the Otto Hutt designC, the German brand's centenary celebration pen made of silver in an edition of 500 pieces, for a price well into four figures. At the time I described the experience as a rollercoaster. I found the designC alien, uncompromising, almost deliberately difficult to … Continue reading Why I bought an Otto Hutt designC
The three-pen collection for £1,000
There's a series of posts on the watch blog Worn & Wound called the three watch collection for $5,000. Here's one recent example. The premise is simple but I find it fascinating. Give writers and readers a fixed budget and ask them to build a capsule collection of watches. Do they eat up the budget … Continue reading The three-pen collection for £1,000
The results are in: the great fountain pen survey, part 1
Late last year I set out to survey the fountain pen community about all aspects of their relationship with fountain pens. This post starts to dig in to the incredibly rich data set that resulted. I'm excited about this data, because as far as I know it's the only large-scale, quantitative survey of fountain pen … Continue reading The results are in: the great fountain pen survey, part 1
Cutting the collection in half: January 2021
My last SotC post was in early November — and what a lot of change there has been since! A number of review samples have crossed my desk, and more than a few personal purchases too, but it’s overall been a period of tremendous consolidation for me. In short: more out than in The last … Continue reading Cutting the collection in half: January 2021
How to read a pen review
Why do you read pen reviews? Is it a form of entertainment, enjoying the words and pictures? A learning exercise on your journey to better understand the world of fountain pens? Is it a way to keep up with new pen releases that you might not have seen, and might want to put on your … Continue reading How to read a pen review
Snap decisions
I take pens with me practically everywhere. Even when there's little likelihood that I'll actually write anything, I still like to have a case with multiple pens on my person or in my bag. As I've written in my 'travels with pens' series over the years, I plan the selection of pens I take when … Continue reading Snap decisions
The first UKFP fountain pen community survey
Designing a good survey is HARD. I have done enough market research theory and practice as part of my dayjob to respect those that do it really well, and I am sure beyond all doubt that I am merely an enthusiastic amateur. I also know that market research as absolutely essential to keeping our world … Continue reading The first UKFP fountain pen community survey
The UKFP 2020 recap
2020 was a strange year in many ways, but it was a great year for fountain pens. As I sat down to prepare to write this post, scanning back over my Instagram feed and blog to refresh my memory, I was struck by, well, just how many great pens landed on my desk — even … Continue reading The UKFP 2020 recap
A stick of plastic with a nib on the end
I’ve been struck a few times recently by a kind of pen-related existentialist vertigo. Looking at a turned pen in a fancy resin, I couldn’t shake the thought it’s just a stick of plastic with a nib screwed in the end. Sure, this is an oversimplification. I know there’s a lot of work involved in … Continue reading A stick of plastic with a nib on the end
