I adore Muji. The lack of branding. The simple designs. The functional materials. Just walking around its stores is a calming experience, everything just so, everything essential. It's a dose of simplicity that I think we all crave right now — the same appeal that Marie Kondo tapped into when she taught us to let … Continue reading The Marie Kondo of pens: the Muji round aluminium fountain pen
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Going large(ish) with the Platinum President
The Platinum President (PTB-20000P) is one of those pens that nobody knows about. Its value proposition is simple: it's a slightly fancier, larger version of the 3776, with a more western-tuned nib, now in 18k gold. The only downside, on paper, is that it lacks the 3776's wonderful sealing cap, but in all other respects … Continue reading Going large(ish) with the Platinum President
The Pilot Prera kinda makes me wish I had smaller hands
I knew from the moment I opened the box that the Pilot Prera was way too small for me. This is not a big pen. It's not heavy either. It's all plastic, and with the included Pilot Black cartridge inserted, there's not even the extra couple of grams of a converter to help add a … Continue reading The Pilot Prera kinda makes me wish I had smaller hands
Pilot Fermo: the thinking person’s Vanishing Point
To me, Pilot is a little bit like the Mafia. You try to escape, but they reel you back in. I have written at length about my love affair with the 912 FA, then reluctantly sold it when I admitted to myself that my grip doesn't suit flex. I bought, sold, bought and sold the … Continue reading Pilot Fermo: the thinking person’s Vanishing Point
The Taccia Spectrum leaves me a little blue
I really wanted to like this pen — for a while I had it fairly near the top of my affordable pen wishlist — but on balance it left me cold, consistent with my first impressions. I just didn't click with it. Here's what's good. The clamshell packaging makes it suitable for a gift. This … Continue reading The Taccia Spectrum leaves me a little blue
New pen day! Taccia Spectrum, Opus Koloro 88, Wing Sung 601
Oh most blessed of days — the New Pen Day — thrice visited me today! Rejoice! Today I took delivery of three pens, all of which I immediately inked and had a good play with. Look out for reviews to come, but here are my first thoughts... Opus 88 Koloro I was intrigued by this … Continue reading New pen day! Taccia Spectrum, Opus Koloro 88, Wing Sung 601
Eight different notebooks put through the wringer
I write a lot about pens and ink, but I've not blogged much about paper recently. Of course, I've been writing as much as ever: journalling in my Hobonichi, keeping lists and notes in my pocket notebooks, and ploughing through nine work notebooks in the past nine months. There are brands here from Japan (Life, … Continue reading Eight different notebooks put through the wringer
My new favourite orange? Sailor Kin-Mokusei
I have a sneaking adoration of orange inks, partly because they're so different from the dark, heavy colours I normally write with; they're like a palate-cleanser. It's also that they typically shade wonderfully, and are dark enough to use for writing (which yellow inks often aren't). So of my nearly 80 bottles of ink, I've … Continue reading My new favourite orange? Sailor Kin-Mokusei
Pilot Myu: the Concorde of pocket pens
Whenever I look at the Pilot Myu, I think of Concorde. And not just because of the strong visual resemblance. Like Concorde, the Myu is an audacious design, unlike anything before (as long as we choose to ignore the Parker T1). Both the Myu and Concorde had their heyday in the 1970s, and simply nothing … Continue reading Pilot Myu: the Concorde of pocket pens
Ink review: Kyo no oto No. 5 Aonibi
I really, really wanted to love this ink. I'm not quite sure it's right for me, at least with some of the pens and papers I use every day, but it might just be for you. The Kyoto / Kyo no oto inks have been on my radar for some time — ever since someone … Continue reading Ink review: Kyo no oto No. 5 Aonibi
