I bought a lot of ink in 2020, and sold a lot, too. I've just pulled aside another batch to sell, leaving me with 67 distinct bottles of ink — a good ratio to the 27 pens I have left. From the survivors, I've picked out ten inks that really brought me joy in 2020, … Continue reading Ten inks for 2020
inks
Craving the simple again: another ink purge
I was surprised to find that over the past five months — since I made my 'ink menu' back in June — I'd accumulated around 40 new bottles of ink. I knew I'd been splashing out (not literally), but I hadn't realised quite how much. Since my ink collection was now bursting out of the … Continue reading Craving the simple again: another ink purge
Roundup: Otto Hutt inks
If I were a pen manufacturer, I would dread thinking about inks. After you reach a certain size, it's kinda expected that you offer a range of branded ink, and you know that there's potential for revenue there. But ink has the potential to be a huge ball-ache. Do you try to compete with Diamine … Continue reading Roundup: Otto Hutt inks
State of the collection: June 2020
Pens! Fresh off my last post about small but perfectly formed collections, here's the latest on mine. It's grown, just a little bit. What's in since the last SotC: Pilot Capless LS. I listed this for sale soon after it arrived, because while it's by far my favourite Vanishing Point, I didn't fall in love … Continue reading State of the collection: June 2020
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
