Category: Fountain Pens

Lamy Dark Lilac Safari: Happy New Pen Day

Laura5 Comments

Lamy Safari Dark Liliac fountain pen

My Dark Lilac Lamy Safari just arrived, and it’s really excellent. This is the nicest Safari in years, in my opinion. And not just because it’s neither neon nor green. It just looks great.

I have heard that purple pens aren’t big sellers, which may be why Lamy waited so long to add one to the Safari lineup, but this is very smartly done. It’s less tween, more grownup. The textured plastic, which is also found on the Charcoal Safari, helps with that. There’s also the black clip and nib, and the dark boysenberry color of the pen.

I also bought cartridges of the Dark Lilac ink, which is similarly dark and actually very attractive.

Here is the Dark Lilac next to the Charcoal, to give a better sense of the color.

Lamy Safari Dark Liliac fountain pen compared to Lamy Safari Charcoal

Thank you to Appelboom, who sent this very quickly.

Pen of the Day: Venvstas 77 “Chicago”

Laura4 Comments

Venvstas 77 "Chicago" fountain pen and J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage

Venvstas 77 “Chicago” with medium nib. Sadly, this Venvstas isn’t mine. But happily, Venvstas has made this special edition 77 just for next week’s Chicago Pen Show. The Chicago 77 will be available as a demo at the show, and one lucky person will win it.

This 77 has a two-dimensional glossy carbon fiber body and polished stainless steel trim. I’ll put together a review soon, but spoiler alert, I like it. The medium nib is especially nice.

Venvstas 77 "Chicago" fountain pen and J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage

It’s spring here, but unseasonably cold and blustery. Nonetheless, it was the green grass of spring that inspired me to ink the Chicago 77 with J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage. And it’s perfect. It reminds me of Wrigley Field, the most Chicago place of all.

J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage writing sample

Pen Review: Venvstas Carbon T Fountain Pen

Laura4 Comments

Venvstas Carbon T fountain pen

I’ve really been enjoying the Venvstas Carbon T, a carbon fiber fountain pen with a minimalist-inspired modern design.

Venvstas is pronounced “Venustas.” That’s because in the classical Latin alphabet, “v” served as not only a consonant, but also as a vowel pronounced “u.”

Venvstas pens are designed and made in Paris, and I bought mine from the  Venvstas website. Because Venvstas new on the scene, I’m going to write a little about the company and its origins before talking about the Carbon T itself.

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Pen of the Day: Venvstas Carbon T

Laura2 Comments

Venvstas Carbon T fountain pen and J. Herbin Rouge Opera ink

Venvstas Carbon T with fine nib. Yes, I just got this, and yes, I already shared some photos, and yes, I am working on a longer review. But it can also be Pen of the Day. Because today is a day, and the Carbon T is the pen I’m using.

Venvstas Carbon T fountain pen and J. Herbin Rouge Opera ink

Also, this lets me show J. Herbin Rouge Opera ink.

There are three J. Herbin inks with the first name Rouge — the Rouges Bourgogne, Caroubier and Opera. Each offers something lovely. Bourgogne is the pinkest, Caroubier is the most unusual, and Opera is the reddest. But Rouge Opera is from J. Herbin, so it’s a stylish sort of red.

J. Herbin Rouge Opera ink writing sample

Pen of the Day: Lamy Al-Star Ocean Blue

Laura6 Comments

Lamy Al-Star Ocean Blue fountain pen

Lamy Al-Star Ocean Blue with extra-fine nib. Blue is my favorite color for fountain pens and ink. That’s not really a secret. Also not a secret is my love for Lamy pens. But I far prefer the ABS plastic Safari to the sleeker, more sophisticated aluminum Al-Star.

Except … sometimes. And this gorgeous deep blue Al-Star is one of the exceptions. I think the deep blue tone and the reflectivity of the aluminum makes the Ocean Blue Al-Star a stunner.

Lamy Al-Star Ocean Blue fountain pen

I am using it to review the ink, KWZ Azure #1. That’s because Lamy’s extra-fine nib is very different from the broad nib Aurora Optima that I’m also using with Azure #1.  Here is Azure #1 in an extra-fine.

KWZ Azure #1 ink writing sample

Flurry of Fountain Pens: Pen Group Meetup

Laura7 Comments

fountain pens in case

We had a wonderful group meetup yesterday in advance of the Chicago Pen Show, which is coming up in just a few weeks. We all brought some pens. This kind of meetup is great fun, because it’s not only a nice chance to spend time with nice people, but also a great way to see and try pens you’ve only heard about. Particularly if one of the attendees has a collection to die for, like my friend Dan. That magnificent thing above is his smallest pen case.

So that case holds a bunch of Pelikans, including I think six M800s and three M1000s, plus an 85th Anniversary Aurora and two Nakayas.  But that’s just one of his pen cases. Were there four or five cases? I lost count. Because, dazzled. His collection is like the best pen store ever, except nothing is for sale and everything is inked.

I tried one of his M1000s.  Now, the M800 is too heavy for me, so the M1000 should be a non-starter, being even larger. But I thought the nib on the M1000 was heavenly.  I tried a triple broad.  Which turned out to be not much broader than my Pelikan M605’s extra-fine nib.  (Joking, not joking. Owners of modern Pelikans will understand.)

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Pen of the Day: Montblanc Heritage 1912

Laura4 Comments

Montblanc Heritage 1912 fountain pen and Montblanc Pink ink

Montblanc Heritage 1912 with broad nib. I just inked this wonderful pen yesterday so I can bring it to a meet-up Sunday with some other Chicago-area fountain pen fans.

One of the other attendees has a Heritage 1912, too. But I think my Heritage 1912 is going to be much more badass.  Because mine is filled with Montblanc Pink.

Montblanc Heritage 1912 fountain pen and Montblanc Pink ink

Put on your sunglasses! No, just kidding. It’s actually a really nice ink. I don’t think it was ever popular online, perhaps because photos can make it look unpleasantly eye-searing.  But in real life, it’s a lovely, cheerful pink with nice shading.

Montblanc Pink ink writing sample

And totally badass.