Author: Laura

Pen of the Day: Aurora Optima 365

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Aurora Optima 365 with medium nib. Yes, this was Pen of the Day two weeks ago, too. It’s so worth the repeat.

But it has a new ink this time. My friend sent me a sample of Conway Stewart Kingsand, which I think is a really lovely ink, perfect for the pen and for the time of year.

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Conway Stewart is out of business, unfortunately, but a number of stores still have the inks in stock. Moreover, Conway Stewart inks were made by Diamine, and to me, Kingsand looks very much like Diamine Ochre. I hope to put on my ink detective hat and investigate it. That hat? It’s a deerstalker. Of course.

Pen Twins: Aurora Optima Nero Perla

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My friend Chris just bought a pen that I also have, and adore: the Aurora Optima in Nero Perla. Don’t look now, but I think that makes us pen twins.

I couldn’t resist inking my Nero Perla at the same time. And the Nero Perla is the perfect pen for me right now. After having tested so many colorful inks recently, I was ready for a black ink. The choice was Stipula Ebony Black, a lighter black with nice shading that is one of my favorite black inks.

Chris chose Diamine Vivaldi, from the Music Set, which is a great gray purple and an inspired choice. I have a feeling I will shamelessly copy the same combination very soon.

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Pen of the Day: Pelikan 400 Tortoise

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Pelikan 400 Tortoise with oblique medium nib. This is a vintage Pelikan. The oblique medium nib offers line variation with a fairly narrow nib, since a vintage Pelikan medium is close to the width of a modern Pelikan fine nib.

I think the tortoise binde looks beautiful against the brown cap and piston knob.

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The ink is Waterman Absolute Brown, formerly known as Havana Brown. It’s a reddish brown with nice shading.

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Monday Morning Quarterback: October 26, 2015

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Looking back on the previous week, having learned a few things. Looking ahead, wondering a few things.

1. Inked out? I feel like I’ve been very focused on ink these past few weeks. It has been fun, and I’ve learned a lot. But I just cleaned out nine pens. I’m thinking longingly of my normal blue and black inks right now.

2. Penned out? I bought a few pens this year, and I’ve been feeling like my pen cases are overstuffed. I’m not really sure what to do about this. I’m mulling the options.

3. Nice pen; cheap thrills. I really enjoy using clear Kaweco Sport fountain pens as eyedroppers. I like tilting the pens and watching the ink roll to and fro. It’s neat to see the range of color. But, yes, that does show that I am easily entertained.

4. New job? A possible job change occurred to me yesterday: I should be a billionaire. I’d be very good at that.

Pen of the Day: Parker Duofold Centennial

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Parker Duofold Centennial with medium stub. You might have guessed by now that I am a Parker fan. This is the gorgeous Black and Pearl Duofold Centennial, which is about the size of the original Big Red.

I just recently got this back from the nibmeister. I was never perfectly happy with how it wrote, so I asked Dan Smith to decrease its over-enthusiastic ink flow and make the stub smoother. Thanks to Dan, it finally writes as beautifully as it looks.

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It’s inked with Caran d’Ache Saffron, my all-time favorite orange ink.

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Wednesday at the Movies

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There’s going to be a Star Wars Episode Seven?! I was tickled to see the trailer the other day.

I was in grade school when the movie Star Wars came out. Now Princess Leia and Han Solo must be parents or grandparents. I love it. Fictional characters: they’re just like us.

I am totally not a Star Wars fan. But I am totally looking forward to this.