I've said it before that ink accumulation is a much bigger problem (at least for me) than accumulating pens. Ink is cheap (ish), so it hardly seems worth selling individual bottles. It's heavy and fragile, so it's a pain to post. And when you use an ink, you're actually consuming it — a used pen … Continue reading Why (and how) I just sold 70 bottles of ink
experiences
Notebooks, notebooks, everywhere!
I used to write quite a lot of posts about paper. Recently I've been all about the pens. Time to redress the balance. Let me give you a tour of the many different notebooks that have been across my desk recently. And boy, I've had a lot of paper. But before that, let me cut … Continue reading Notebooks, notebooks, everywhere!
Six long-gone pens I miss — and what I’ve done about it
I am an inveterate pen seller. I've bought and sold about 125 pens in the last few years, and I don't regret it. When I realise a pen isn't for me, I release it to help someone else on their pen journey. I lose money on each pen I sell, but I consider it a … Continue reading Six long-gone pens I miss — and what I’ve done about it
Nine factory nibs you have to try before you die
I'm in the lucky position of having owned, borrowed or reviewed something like 135 different fountain pens in the last few years. For me, when I use a pen the experience all comes down to the nib. And wow, what variety is out there! From hairline to paintbrush, nail to wet noodle, silky smooth to … Continue reading Nine factory nibs you have to try before you die
Going on a diet (recalibrating to smaller, cheaper pens)
My pen hobby has, at risk of generalising, broadly trended towards larger and more expensive pens (I covered this in 'boiling a frog'). I started with "normal" pens like the Pelikan M205, Lamy Al Star, Platinum 3776, Sailor Pro Gear, Kaweco Sport and Pilot 91, and have escalated to rare and costly giants like the … Continue reading Going on a diet (recalibrating to smaller, cheaper pens)
My pen “capsule wardrobe” (cheating at a top ten of fountain pens)
Whenever I buy a new pen recently, I'm finding there's a smaller and smaller chance that it will stick in my collection. Even though I'm learning more about my tastes, and making (hopefully) better and better purchases, the new pens have a huge task scaling the heights of my current collection, which I have been … Continue reading My pen “capsule wardrobe” (cheating at a top ten of fountain pens)
Where I buy pens
This sounds like a dumb thing to write a blog post about. But I buy a lot of pens, and I thought it would be good to share some wisdom I've accrued – and maybe open your eyes to some new possibilities to snag a bargain. Pen and ink retailers Let’s start with the mainstream … Continue reading Where I buy pens
Travels with pens: York, and a visit to Signatures
For once, I'm packing pens for a trip that's not work-related. Yes: I'm on holiday in York! This trip ran almost back-to-back with my trip to Miami. My Conids and Geometry served me well in the US, and I took them home joined by my latest acquisitions, the Karas Re-Entry Starliner XL and Wahl-Eversharp Decoband. … Continue reading Travels with pens: York, and a visit to Signatures
Travels with pens: prepping for Miami — and a few fabulous new arrivals
Tomorrow morning I'm off on my next travels: a few days in Miami. Waiting for me there is my new Wahl Decoband Jade and Karas Re-Entry with Ti nib, so I'm travelling pretty light: just three pens, in my Franklin-Christoph "glasses case". Here's what I've picked: Conid Kingsize, F Ti, Graf Burned Orange Conid Regular, … Continue reading Travels with pens: prepping for Miami — and a few fabulous new arrivals
13 hard-learned lessons from a veteran fountain pen addict
(Enjoy the blog? Please consider donating – there's a PayPal button at the top right of the site!) Over the past several years of spending far too much time and money on stationery, I've learned a thing or two — about mistakes I make over and over, about what I like and why, and what … Continue reading 13 hard-learned lessons from a veteran fountain pen addict
