Tag: Pelikan

Thanksgiving Countdown

Laura3 Comments

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a person approaching either a vacation or a national holiday must be in want of extra work. Thus I am toiling away feverishly at boring work, even as I should be cooking for Thanksgiving and writing posts about pens.

But needs must, and like the Pilgrims surely would have, I will send out my thanks over the internet. Weirdly, I am going to be thankful for ink here. Because it’s a blog with a theme. Because I like ink. And because, okay, you guessed it: I got up late the day they were passing out Thanksgiving topics to bloggers, and I missed out on all the good ones. Oh, and I also have to bring two pies.

No, sincerely, I’m thankful for my three favorite ink companies. KWZ, my new favorite. Montblanc, which I can never resist. And J. Herbin, my old favorite. These inks are easy on my pens, and easy to clean out of my pens. The colors are beautiful, and the inks shade. That’s my entire wishlist.

I’m thankful for my most used ink: Pelikan Brilliant Black. The old reliable.

I’m thankful for all the inks that friends have sent me to try this year. Those made this year a lot more colorful, a lot nicer and a lot more fun.

And lastly, I’m thankful for the inks I tried this year that were hard for me to like initially. I didn’t always end up changing my first “yes or no” inclinations. But I always ended up changing my initial impressions. There were some “I don’t think so” inks that became “this is just fine in the right pen.” And there were also a few “I don’t think so” inks that became “I cannot write with this another day, not even another second.” (Most of those were in the babypoop brown category.)

Don’t let anyone kid you: ink is just colored water. Inks are not at all like people. Okay, except in this one little way: some you love immediately, some you take a bit longer to warm up to and some you may never warm up to, but you still benefit by giving them the benefit of the doubt, as much as you can.

I may not like babypoop brown, but gosh darn it, some people want three or four different babypoop brown inks. And I may feel an involuntary shiver run down my spine when someone says “I have a great avocado green ink here,” but the truth is, every other fountain pen user seems to love avocado green inks.

Ink is just colored water. But still I’m thankful for each time I encountered an ink that was more challenging, because it helped me remember, in the tiniest way, that we get back what we put into things.

So, ink fans, I say, today, two days before American Thanksgiving, let’s be thankful not just for the inks we love, but also for the  hard-to-love, the puzzling, the “what do people see in this anyway” inks. The “brown” inks that are black, if we’re telling the truth to power. The hard-to-read neon greens. Even the everyday blues.

Because, just maybe, these things are worth another look. A better look.

Let’s keep trying. And let’s be thankful for the opportunity to do so. Because just being able to devote a few minutes of the day to think about ink, instead of more pressing things, proves it. We are so lucky.

We should remember that every day.

Doubling Down: Pelikan’s Double-Broad Highlighter Nib Isn’t Just for Highlighting

Laura4 Comments

Pelikan M205 with double broad BB nib

That is the Pelikan double broad nib I bought at the Ohio Show this weekend from Dan Smith, the Nibsmith. I put it on my M205 Blue demonstrator.

I don’t know if the size of that tipping material can be adequately appreciated, but there’s a lot. I call the nib The Blob. In a good way.

Here is a comparison of an M600 BB nib on the left with the M205 BB nib on the right.

Pelikan M600 BB versus M205 BB highlighter

And the other side, again with the M600 BB nib on the left and the M205 BB nib on the right.

Pelikan M600 BB versus M205 BB highlighter

I’m guessing that Pelikan wanted to make the M205 BB more round for highlighting. That said, I first tried a Pelikan M205 Highlighter fountain pen at the Chicago Pelikan Hub, and that nib was more stubbish than mine.

Having seen the nib, you won’t be surprised that it writes a gigantic line. It’s almost marker-like, and very smooth. It’s kind of fun writing with such a wet and wide nib. Also good for making your points forcefully. Or writing with yellow ink.

Here is a writing sample with the M205 double broad writing in blue and the M600 in pink.

writing sample Pelikan M600 BB versus M205 BB highlighter

The M205 has Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite ink, which is a wetter ink than the Sailor Sakura-Mori in the M600. But the M205 double broad is just bigger, and it writes wider.

writing sample Pelikan M600 BB versus M205 BB highlighter

I’m a person who loves a good fine nib, but I think most fountain pen people prefer broader nibs, and this makes an intriguing choice. Because you can buy this one separately. And it will fit into any Pelikan from M200 through M700.

In the US it’s $60. Which means every else in the world it’s probably only $20 or less. (A little black humor, for those of us in Chartpak territory.)

I decided to buy the nib only. You could instead buy it on the highlighter pen. Or if you’re buying a different new M205, ask for the BB nib instead of the usual choices. I’d probably do that, if I ever bought another M200-sized pen, and I’d have the BB modified into a stub or architect’s nib. Because The Blob has tipping material to spare.

A Peek at the Pen Cup: Dazed and Distracted Edition

Laura5 Comments

pen cup with fountain pens

You know what I like? I like the reflection of the window in the cap medallion of that Lamy Safari.

My pen cup is reasonably full again, but it’s mostly full with pens I’ve already talked about. Pens of the past. I really haven’t had the time or the oomph to think about new things. My brain is just overstuffed. We’ve had two big family birthdays in the past week, while work has been crushing. Then there’s been baseball to watch.

At first nervously, then merrily. The Cubs did the nearly unbelievable, winning the pennant for the first time in 71 years. Thus ending the failure and futility that has been Cubs fandom for longer than my lifetime. It’s like when you come out of a movie theater into the blinding sun: everything looks nice and bright, but you do have to reorient.

pen cup with fountain pens

So about pens, I can’t really say I’ve spent too much time thinking about them.

Looking at the pen cup, there are a lot of Lamy Safaris and Pelikans, and a few Kawecos. All good. But I’m going to have to clean out some of these pens of the past and try some different pens and inks. Once baseball releases its hold on my brain.

Maybe that will happen during the Ohio Pen Show. Or when the new Pelikan M405 Stresemann comes in — that intrigues me.

If only they had a Pelikan M605 Stressedwoman — now that would be my pen. It would be hot pink, or maybe orange, and it would come with a giant coffee mug.

Fountain Pen Favorites for September 2016

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calendar image

This was a great month for fountain pens and ink for me.

1. Kaweco Traveller Case. This little case worked its way into my heart, moving from curiosity to essential. Some prefer large cases, but not me. Sized for Kaweco pens, the Traveller fits small and standard-size fountain pens. It carries six of those, plus extras, but easily slips into purse or briefcase. That meant I started carrying multiple fountains for the first time. The price is a splurge, but the quality seems high.

2.  Platinum Classic Maki-e. I fell for this, too. To keep the cost down, the maki-e on this pen starts with screen-printing, but it didn’t look or feel like a compromise to me or anyone else who tried it. It’s an attractive pen with a great nib at a great price. And it’s a maki-e pen that you don’t need to fuss over.

3.   Pelikan Hub. That was lots of fun, meeting other Pelikan fans and trying other fountain pens and inks. Kudos to Pelikan for bringing people together. And thanks for the Pelikan Edelstein Aquamarine. If you get a chance to go next year, I recommend it.
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Photo by Dafne Cholet, Flickr, used under Creative Commons license.

Pelikan Hub 2016: Chicago

Laura3 Comments

Pelikan Edelstein inks at Pelikan Hub 2016

I went to my first Pelikan Hub on Friday night. Fun.

We had a small group of six; Friday night at 6:30 in the city is a hard time, and some people had to cancel. But for those who were there, it was awesome. The nicest host ever. Key lime pie. And many Pelikans passed around. Fountain pen people are usually congenial, but these other attendees were all amazing. I’m afraid I had so much fun I didn’t take very many photos.

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Problem Solving, With the Very Large Array

Laura6 Comments

pen cups

There are good problems to have, of course, and having too many fountain pens inked is probably one of them. I’ve been looking at a lot of new-to-me inks, so I can’t complain if that requires a lot of pens. And in there is one awesome Platinum pen I’m going to be giving away. But I still had the small issue of where to put all those pens.

Last time I confronted this, I went for a temporary solution: I ejected a rollerball from the pen cup, and moved the fountain pens around like puzzle pieces until they all fit. Not ideal, but a workable quick fix. “You go, girl.”

However, one new ink led to another, and another led to a third, and so on. Before you could say “J. Herbin,” I was over-penned once again. This time, there were no more squeezes possible, and nothing to do but add another pen cup to the lineup. And not a pretty one, either. “Le sigh.”

But it’s all in how you look at things, right?  So I shall look at my pen cuppage not as excess, but as a small tribute to the Very Large Array, which uses 27 movable radio telescopes to explore the universe.

And I mean, even the number 27 is inspiring.  When I think how many pens would fit into 27 pen cups….

“You go, girl!”

A Peek at the Pen Cup: This Week the Pen Cup Runneth Over

Laura9 Comments

pen cup

It is pure chaos right now at Fountain Pen Follies. That cup is so full of pens I was sure I couldn’t fit even one more.

But I needed to, because, unable to bear the suspense any longer, I opened the world’s best ink bottle and filled a Pelikan with Graf von Faber-Castell Cobalt Blue.

So imagine one more Pelikan, jammed into the last empty spot, right in front.

pens in pen cup

This pen cup is now filled wall-to-wall.

What’s taking up all the room? There’s a rollerball. Also the Parker 51 and the charcoal Lamy Safari that are my everyday pens. Every other pen in there is for an ink review or other ink post that I’m working on. Except the pen that’s in there for a pen review I’m working on.

A bunch of Pelikans. A bunch of Lamy Safaris and a Vista. An Edison. Two Montblancs. A Platinum. All fantastic. Except, this is so overstuffed. I need to go on a pen diet. Or start cranking out content faster.

Or I suppose I could just move the rollerball….

Fountain Pen Favorites for July 2016

Laura4 Comments

calendar image

This July was not my favorite month ever, in either fountain pens or real life. In fact, if this July were a movie, it would get one star from me. But even the worst movies have highlights (or else how could anyone make a trailer?). So let’s focus on the positives and put together a trailer for July 2016.

1. Montblanc Shakespeare Ink. The leading man. I love this ink. Of course I was primed to love it: a red ink, from Montblanc, named after Shakespeare. Hearing that this ink existed was, for me, like hearing Matt Damon was making a new Jason Bourne movie. I’m in. And Montblanc Shakespeare ink did not disappoint.

2. KWZ Thief’s Red Ink. I love this one, too. Partially because of its great red color, and partially because of its name. And sure: partially because it’s not blue. But because our movie has some thought-provoking moments, too, I’ll mention that KWZ Thief’s Red also reminded me not to overlook inks that don’t happen to have a great name.

3. Two Empty Ink Bottles. Emptied, really. There was so little ink left in Pelikan Edelstein Topaz or in J. Herbin Bleu Nuit that I’ve transferred what little remains to sample vials. I’ll miss having these two inks around. But a blue ink I like has the approximate life expectancy of anyone in the Jason Bourne movie series not named Jason Bourne.

Pelikan M600 Green o’ Green with KWZ Rotten Green

Laura4 Comments

Pelikan M600 Green o' Green with KWZ Rotten Green

Pelikan M600 Green o’ Green with extra-fine nib. This is basically a disguised Ink of Day post about KWZ Rotten Green, an ink that I’ve been enjoying a lot. It’s an attractive dark green, but I mean very dark and with very little shading.

Rotten Green seems excellent for work, because it slides through as an almost-black. But it is green, so between this and KWZ Thief’s Red, it’s like Christmas in July here. I guess a Bad Santa kind of Christmas, what with the rotten thieving going on.

Rotten Green is a very wet ink, so an extra-fine nib is a good match.

KWZ Rotten Green ink writing sample

And here’s the pen, because it is Pen of the Day, after all. I’ve always liked this unusual resin.

Pelikan M600 Green o' Green fountain pen closeup

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