In another thread, Nathan mentionned some "prototype" inks that were sold in a few places in the world to test the market, including canada.

Does anybody know where? I cannot find an online retailer that has noodlers in Canada...

Thanks!

nick

PS, I'll add, does anyone know where baystate blue is in stock? I got sold out at pear tree pens a few hours before I wanted to place an order...

The only retailers of Noodlers in Canada I am aware of is Sleuth and Statesman and Laywines in Toronto. I don't think there is anyone in Montreal.


Bill

There are a few Noodlers retailers in Vancouver too, but not any Canadian online ones that I am aware of.

Agh! I'm glad that I'm not the only one lusting after those prototype inks that Nathan mentioned! I get the impression that he offered them but the retailers weren't interested, or maybe there weren't enough customers interested? I think it's a better bet to go with an online retailer (ie offer exclusive/unusual inks) than a B&M in these cases though, because there are people interested, they just don't live in that test market area, and can't get access or even find out about them while they are available I tried to contact Nathan but have not received any reply, sadly...

Perks in Vancouver carries Noodler's as well, but I believe it's the standard line, ie no exclusives.

I thought Nathan said the exotic inks were ones he was selling in China, not Canada. I may have misread, though.

I'm interested in more Noodler's, but I mostly want the companion inks to Baystate Blue that seemed to be hinted at (inks that should be capable of mixing with it because they're also alkaline). I hope that the Lamy plastic affair hasn't put a damper on that plan.

I believe he said that he test-marketed multi-weight inks in a few places, including Canada, but there was a lack of interest. Someone in China did ask him to forumlate some multi-weight inks (Panda and Cherry Blossom were mentioned) but I'm not sure if they're actually going to be sold, or if they were stopped in production. I'm hoping that if he does go on to sell these inks in China, that there'll be some made available in North America- I mean, if he's making the inks anyway, why not offer them to those interested over here? But perhaps I have too-simplistic a view on such things.

I too am curious in what other new inks he's planning on releasing in the Baystate Blue "family".

Like you said, I hope that lamy safari stuff will not stop that ink from production.

The more I look, the more I see websites that are backorder with it!

Hey, I want some to put in my safari! (a blue one...)

: P

And those prototype, I'd like to get some...

I'm pretty sure I saw Noodler's Blue upon the Plains of Abraham at the Toronto Pen Show last June.

IIRC, it was sold by Sleuth and Statemen, and I absolutely hate dealing with them, which is the only reason I didn't buy a bottle.

Their online presence is kind of minimal, but Stylus Fine Pens in Edmonton does carry Noodlers. You have to e-mail them to find out what they have in stock, but they reply very promptly and ship quickly....NAYY.

Well, you are correct on the Plains of Abraham Blue. I have a bottle, and there were lots left at Sleuth and Statesman last time I was there.

Not sure what issues you have with S&S, I have had nothing but excellent dealings with them.

The Plains of Abraham Blue is a variable dye weight ink, and looks intensely blue in the bottle when shaken but after sitting for a day tends to start out more Purple. Flows best in very wet writing pens and has a cool label.

I have a bottle here, and while I do not use it much, don't plan on getting rid of it any time soon.

AFAIK there are no online Canadian sellers. You can call Laywines and they may deal with you over the phone but I am not sure.

As for Prototypes there are a whole raft of them out there, some were only available in the UK as well as some which are targetted to the Asian market. Apparently there are some really good selling Noodlers inks in China.

Here are some of the international Noodlers colors, Pendemonium

Cheers,
Sean

The Plains of Abraham does look like a great ink. I wouldn't mind trying a blue with a purple tinge anyway.

I don't want to turn this into a complaints forum, so I'll keep it short. Basically, every time I've gone into S&S they're so rude and condescending, probably because I don't look like their typical customer (I'm guessing 60 years old and in a $2,000 suit). Once I went in trying to buy a pen in the $300 range and not sure what I wanted. Their sales person wouldn't even show me a pen, I ended up with a Carene from an online store 2 days later, and at a much lower price. All S&S had to do was show me a couple of pens and their sale was made, I was ready to buy.

Earlier when I was just getting into FPs, I wanted to see about exchanging my nib on my Philieas, they looked at the pen, and variously said it was a discontinued model or the nib would be $200. They also gave me a runaround to a couple of their other stores in the PATH.

I've seen them basically chase people out of the store saying their pens are too expensive for the customer. Basically, every time I've gone in there, I've left very fast with a bad taste in my mouth. The local stores are supposed to justify their higher costs with personal friendly service, not nasty attitude.

I've never had a chance to visit Laywines, they're not as easy to get to along my normal routes.

As for Montreal shops, I'm pretty sure that Essense du Papier doesn't carry Noodlers (not a great online presence anyway) and Boutique du Stylo (stylo.ca) does carry it but doesn't yet make it available online.

He obviously didn't ask us, because we WANTS them!

Interesting... I previously tried to get in touch with S&S in an attempt to get a bottle of this ink, but never received a reply... Maybe it's because they don't have much of an online presence beyond a single page with a map and their contact info, but I'm always incredibly disappointed with a retailer when they have their e-mail address inviting people to contact them, and yet never reply when a potential customer is making an inquiry



My thoughts exactly!

Ultra Collections is an online Canadian site that stocks Noodlers Ink and other pen paraphernalia on their fountain pen page. Looks like they carry the standard line of Noodlers, no exclusives. I've purchased through their ebay store in the past and there were no issues with the transaction. No affiliation yada yada yada.

Rick

Thanks for the ultra collection link!

And also, There is a "boutique du stylo" in quebec city. I've bought about everything (except most of my ink) there. I didn't ask in store for noodlers since the web site said it would be added in the future, but I'll double check with them.

I don't expect them to have any of the prototypes or baystate blue.

Thanks all for the help!

nick

It would be great if we had a decent online dealer in Canada who actually carried a FULL range of Noodler's inks. The Ultra Collections site is neat and I like a bunch of things they offer, but the only inks I'd buy from them are Polar Black (Why no Polar blue?) and MAYBE the Hunter green for mixing. Its too bright to just use. Those two because they are the only ones I know are bulletproof/eternal inks.

At the very least I expect my inks to be permanent if I spill a drink on them and not run all over and make a mess. Or I get caught in the rain/snow. This happens to me surprisingly often.

So any Canadian FP/ink retailers if you're reading this, carry the specialty inks if you carry Noodlers. They are what makes Noodlers worthwhile. IMO... Otherwise some other brand of ink is substitutable.

Boutique du Stylo does not yet have Noodler's. Or if they do, they've had it for less than a month, because they did not yet have them last time I was there. I too have heard that it shoudl be imminent that they carry some Noodler's, but not their whole line.

Essence du Papier being a means to sell Pierre Belvedere stuff, I doubt they would have Noodler's anytime soon. I like the store, but it's a lifestyle store first and a pen store second.

I heard that nota-bene.ca in Montreal was going to have Noodler's inks for sale.

I beg to differ with Sleuth and Statesman service, I usually don't go in with a $1500 suit (unless I have a meeting downtown) and I am not 60 years old either (not for another 20 years). I have nothing but very postive experiences with Akil and Murtazza (the owners) and I have been shopping there for better part of seven years.

Having worked in retail in the past including selling pens briefly at a store called the Art of Working (now defunct) I can tell you the interaction between customer and sales person is a two ways street. The staff at S&S are top notch in my books and I have dropped a fair chunk of money in their store and their booth at the Toronto International Pen Show over the years as a result.

I'll take a look around and see if I still have the email they sent me when I inquired.

It isn't cost effective for U.S. patrons to buy from them. The ink was around $20 with a $25 S&H fee, making it an impressive $45 bottle of ink. I'm not that interested in having a security ink that appears the same under all different lighting sources.

Really? Where did you hear this?

No offense but as one of the "organizers" of the Toronto show I hardly think that you qualify as "some guy off the street". Especially if you're also a regular customer who has "dropped a fair chunk of change" at their store...

The real test is how they treat someone who has never been in the store and may not know anything about fountain pens.

Not saying anything about their service since I don't think I've ever been in their store(s?) ...unless they own the one at Queens Quay... But just commenting on how your treatment may be non-representative.

Not that there's anything wrong with special treatment for special customers/friends. I have a relationship like that with a jewelers. They're the only store I'd buy jewelry from as a result.

From the horse's mouth... The owner himself! I haven't been there since December, though, I don't know if the inks have arrived.

I will have to investigate when I go week after next.

Just a few words about Laywines in Toronto. I've only had one experience there but the customer service was very courteous and helpful, even staying past closing for me to decide on a pen. I'd suggest giving them a try. I realized after the fact that I paid more for the pen than I would have online, but I needed the help in selection and appreciate that they were there. Looked to me like they had lots and lots of inks.
Wad.

I would agree - If people ever find themselves in Edmonton Stylus Fine Pens has a wonderful selection of pens and inks. Its the only place i've ever found Pilot and Sailor ink.

Chris
(also in Edmonton)

There is another online retailer that carries Noodlers in Canada:

http://www.uc-fountain-pens.com/storefront...40&c=750407

I've bought from them and had a pleasant experience. However, for temperature related reasons, I would not buy ink online during winter...

Regards,

Indeed! I'm waiting for March or April to order new inks - we're in the midst of yet another snowstorm and cold snap

That is one of the joys of working for a small office. I ship everything I buy online directly there.

Everythign stays out of the weather, and there is always somebody to answer the door!

ncik

Boutique du Stylo is waiting for the first shipment of Noodlers. André, the owner told me that it will arrive sometime in February or maybe later. I'll keep you all posted.

Russell at Nota Bene will wait a little before ordering Noodlers.

I teach a special high school program where kids have 2 days in class and 3 days at work. One of them is working at Boutique du Stylo and the other at Nota Bene, so I visit both store on a weekly basis. Imagine, I get pay to visit two of my favourite store in Montreal

Rapt already gave a better reply than I can, I was just going to say if you're a regular customer for so many years they're not going to treat you like someone off the street.

I had no idea you helped organize the Toronto Pen Show, so thank you for doing that, but it only further shows you can't see a store as a normal customer would.

If you really know the owners so well and like them, why don't you do them a favour and point them to this forum because if you do a search, there's a lot of people who really hate their store and refuse to shop there.

There was even one thread where someone was talking about a terrible Toronto pen store but didn't want to name names, I asked if it was S&S, and they said it was. I think there were other replies in the thread that it was typical behaviour for them.

Ignore this. I am too tired to read


Mame

Stylo.ca is Boutique du Stylo
I think they are getting Noodlers so I stop bothering them!
I've brought all my pen filled with Noodlers in the last year so they could test them!

It's gonna be fun to be able to buy it, right here in Montreal.

Lucky you. I'll look out for them when I visit next week!

Please do, they work from Wednesday to Friday and they are both tiny latinas. They barely speak English, so go easy on them

And it's purely by chance that they landed there, I'm sure...

These two boutiques are addictive, I can feel the pull whenever I go downtown!

I like boutique du stylo also! I've bought about all my pens there.

To my knowledge, it is the only place where you have a wide choice for fountain pens... and people who know what they are talking about!

My next request is to have their web site have a store pickup option!



Maybe Samovar you can ask them for me.

Also, do you know why they don't carry PR inks? Those and noodlers seem to be the ones I like the most, so when they get noodlers, this will be the only thing missing!

nick

I ask one of the kid about 20 times if she understood that she would be selling fountain pen and she kept telling me she didn't care. The last time I drop by, she was changing the nib on a Safari! Now she walks by me in class, points my pocket and name the brand of the pen just by the look of the clip. I'm a very happy teacher!

I'll ask about Private Reserve.

"If you really know the owners so well and like them, why don't you do them a favour and point them to this forum because if you do a search, there's a lot of people who really hate their store and refuse to shop there."

I will be discussing this thread with the owners this week. I did do a search on Sleuth and Statesman but could not find one instance where someone said they hated the store. Either way, I know that they will take this issue to heart and do what they can to rectify it.

Cheers,
Sean

Menick:

As I have mentioned in other posts, try www.thewritefill.com .

Charlie Draper is great to deal with and he had Baystate in stock last week.

Tom Connell

Too bad the write fill is in the US (Kentucky) and not Canada...

Oh man, I never even thought of that. I was going to order some inks, but I'd better wait. I'm sure they'd freeze. I'm glad I saw this before I went ahead and ordered!

I hate having to wait so long!

Me too.

So I took a chance on our mild weather and ordered anyway... *SIGH* of course its in Canada now and we're having the coldest weather we've had to date. Good thing 2 of the three inks are Noodler's Polar inks, I'm hoping the third doesn't suffer any ill effects or split its bottle. Should be here today or tomorrow.

Anyways I'll be rushing home after work to check the mail the next couple days....

During my sole visit to S&S in November, I found them snobbish and condascending, reluctant to help with even the most straightforward of questions (ie, "Where is your Noodler's ink?"), in sharp contrast to the friendly and attentive service I received at Laywines. I used to buy myself a new pen at Nocean whenever I was in TO (they were mid-point on my walk from my hotel to my publisher's office) -- I've saved a fortune since they moved (much to my disappointment!).

Thanks, I may check, but I think Pear Tree just got a new batch, so I think I'll get sampler from there... and even if it is from the US. Not good in canada right now!

Thanks

One thread I was able to find was: http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...c=39957&hl=

There were others that I can recall reading in the past, but I couldn't find with a quick search (I found that by looking for my own userID).