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
ink
Finding joy in black ink
Since I found myself getting into fountain pens, I've never really used black inks. Grey inks, sure: a good grey can be as expressive as any other colour, ranging from a clean crisp silver to the colour of 2B pencil, and with an infinity of tints, from almost lavender purple, to murky fog-brown. But the … Continue reading Finding joy in black ink
Diving in to the world of Ferris Wheel Press
I'm a closet (graphic) design lover. I will stop in the street to admire a carefully chosen colour palette, and I mentally applaud when I see evidence of good typography practices in an advert or on packaging. So Canadian brand Ferris Wheel Press is kinda like catnip to me. As they'll proudly tell you, they … Continue reading Diving in to the world of Ferris Wheel Press
Anderillium Inks: the Cephalopod series
I already posted a quick introduction to Anderillium Inks, but here's a bit more detail about each of the colours, and most importantly, a few comparisons so you can judge what you're getting against some more familiar inks. Each of the inks is pH neutral, water-based and water-soluble, and hand-made in-house in Florida. The colours … Continue reading Anderillium Inks: the Cephalopod series
Snippets: Lamy notebooks, Anderillium inks, Pebble notebook and more
I became a dad (again) at the weekend, so my "free time for blogs" bucket has felt pretty empty the last few days, and I expect that state of affairs to continue. But a few quick updates to make you aware of: Lamy notebooks: worth a buy Write Here sent me a couple of the … Continue reading Snippets: Lamy notebooks, Anderillium inks, Pebble notebook and more
12 blues I’ve stuck with
A commenter recently asked whether I still reached for a particular blue ink, more than a year after I reviewed it. The answer was 'no', but it got me thinking about which inks I do still regularly reach for. Even after I cleared out a load of 70 inks earlier this summer, I still have … Continue reading 12 blues I’ve stuck with
Why (and how) I just sold 70 bottles of ink
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
Inky fingers, June 2019
I've had a few requests recently for ink-related posts. Despite my mediocre photography, I thought I'd share a few inks that I'm really enjoying at the moment — and a few that disappointed. Winners Edelstein Star Ruby After the faded sadness that was Edelstein Ruby, Star Ruby is simply fantastic. Vibrant, well-behaved, non-staining, and a … Continue reading Inky fingers, June 2019
My Japan haul: ink, paper and more
As is my way, I went to Japan with an exhaustively researched shopping list. I knew which items I wanted to investigate, I knew where was likely to stock them, and I knew roughly how much they were going to cost. But I still gave myself a few surprises. Inks Tokyo is the home of … Continue reading My Japan haul: ink, paper and more
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
