Category: Ink

House Rules: Ethics

Laura8 Comments

Caran d'Ache Chromatics ink bottle boxes

Okay I’ve gone all Scarlett O’Hara, wishing I could flounce out of an internet fountain pen forum because of a thread where a number of people were implying, if not stating outright, that fountain pen and ink reviews are necessarily biased, useless and unethical.

So let me just make a statement here about what I believe, and how I behave.

I use things and talk about them on the blog. Sometimes I do a formal review. Sometimes I do less formal pieces.

Here’s how that works.

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Ink Snippet: Montblanc William Shakespeare Velvet Red

Laura13 Comments

Montblanc William Shakesepare Velvet Red ink and bottle

My Montblanc William Shakespeare Velvet Red ink just arrived, which makes for a happy Thursday at Fountain Pen Follies.

I could be all laid back and cool, and pretend I haven’t been checking the front porch since Monday for my order from the lovely people at Pen Boutique. But that would be a lie. And anyway, no one would believe me.

Here are some first impressions and some quick photos.

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Ink Review: Diamine Gerbera

Laura5 Comments

Diamine Gerbera writing samples

Diamine Gerbera. This is an interesting and attractive orange ink from Diamine’s Flower Set, which looked so different in the two pens I tested it in that I am tempted to dramatically subhead this review A Tale of Two Pens.

Admittedly Diamine Gerbera isn’t really “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” It’s too nice an ink for that. And I’m from the Midwestern US, which is like being from Canada; we’re not that dramatic

But A Tale of Two Cities is slightly more exciting than the average ink review, what with the Reign of Terror going on, tumbrils rolling through the cobbled streets of Paris, and heads rolling into baskets. Heck, that’s the sort of atmosphere and tone that would liven up any ink discussion.

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Ink Snippet: Pelikan Edelstein Topaz

Laura4 Comments

Pelikan Edelstein Topaz bottle

I am gingerly stepping back into the blue pool with Pelikan Edelstein Topaz. This ink is an old favorite of mine. It’s a nicely flowing, nicely lubricated ink, with great shading and a lovely color. And it cleans up easily.

I’m almost at the end of the bottle, which brings up the usual mixed feelings. It’s always nice to use up a bottle. But I’ll miss Topaz until I replace it, which won’t be until I’ve worked down my stock of blue inks some more.

Aurora Optima 360 Monviso

We’re going out on a high note, however. Pelikan Edelstein Topaz makes a very nice match for the Aurora Optima Monviso. The ink flows so smoothly that the Aurora stub nib writes like a dream. And in turn, the stub nib’s line variation makes the most of Topaz’s color and shading.

Pelikan Edelstein Topaz writing sample

This was my second bottle of Topaz. I have given friends samples, and recommended it, and used it in a Mystery Ink round. I still recommend it. And I’m enjoying it while it lasts. It is perfect for summer.

Pelikan Edelstein Topaz nearly empty bottle

 

Serendipity: Ink and Pen Department

Laura1 Comment

J. Herbin ink bottle nearly empty

I adore J. Herbin inks (well, most of them), but I can admit that the bottles, while lovely, are not always easy to fill from, especially as the ink level declines.

However, there are some pens that are so perfect in every way that they adapt to difficult conditions like I would adapt to winning sixty million dollars.

The Parker 51, ladies and gentlemen.

J. Herbin ink bottle nearly empty

 

Fountain Pen Favorites for June 2016

LauraLeave a comment

calendar image

June meant beautiful weather, and great pens and inks. Unfortunately the last week for me was taken over by non-pen things. So it’s a treat to look back at the pen things.

1.  Aurora Optima 360 Monviso. Of course this beautiful pen is June’s number one highlight. This is my big purchase, probably for the year. Unless Pelikan strikes again. But ending the year with the Monviso would be just fine.  It’s a great-looking pen, with a great-writing stub.

2. Montblanc BMW ink. Montblanc BMW ink is such a nice blue. And yet as far as I can tell, Montblanc isn’t selling it through the usual US dealers. That’s a shame. Hopefully that will change.

3. Parker Penman Sapphire. It’s true. Parker Penman Sapphire really is the top — the Coliseum, the Louvre museum, a Shakespeare sonnet and a Bendel bonnet. It really is all that. Just a beautiful blue ink. Alas, no longer available.

4. Fountain pen friends. I just happen to owe all of those good June experiences to friends. I’m pretty lucky.

 

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Photo by Dafne Cholet, Flickr, used under Creative Commons license.

Pen of the Day: Pelikan 400nn with Diamine Gerbera

Laura1 Comment

Pelikan 400nn with Diamine Gerbera ink

Pelikan 400nn with medium nib. Again? I just had this pen on about a month ago. Sadly, I only have so many pens. At least until my Aurora gets here.

But the 400nn is worth another look: it’s a great pen. I really like its shape.  Here it is with the classic and better-known 400, for comparison.

Pelikan 400nn compared to Pelikan 400

I know I showed a lot of Diamine Gerbera yesterday. But at least it’s not blue. And I wanted to highlight one interesting quality of this ink. The shading goes from a soft yellow-orange, in the dashed lines, to a deeper, redder orange, but despite that it’s still fairly toned down.

I always like it when an ink has more going on than you expect.

Diamine Gerbera writing sample