Hi Fellow Nibbynerds

[Amory]

Coincidentally Oxblood fills the pages of majority of my journals, it looks very good on the cream Rhodia paper. I am a creature of habit, picking up a few Webbys in French supermarkets as I need them. Last batch were on offer at 4euros each for A5.

Have used the “R” pads for snail mails. The supermarket shelves in France are full of a wide range of clairefontaine from tiny address books to massive art pads.

 

Paper in the ringbound seyes ruled school books have especially good clairefontaine paper. Perfect for getting my excited scrawl back under control.

 

I like the idea of visiting small stationers. There are some really great retro stationers in Europe all dressed in mahogany and leather where most of the pens have four figure price tags.

 

Don’t know if you’re of that age when schools insisted on pen and ink, writing seem to be swinging back that pre digital way as with many things.

[Carrau]

Welcome aboard, Amory, from Charleston, SC.

Mike

[PAKMAN]

Hello and Welcome to FPN!! Glad to have you as a member!!

[Amory]

Hello and Welcome to FPN!! Glad to have you as a member!!

Thank you

I had been lurking for awhiles, now looking forward to sharing some inky words.

Best wishes, Amory

[Sasha Royale]

Welcome, Amory !

[paperglo]

The supermarket shelves in France are full of a wide range of clairefontaine from tiny address books to massive art pads.

 

I like the idea of visiting small stationers. There are some really great retro stationers in Europe all dressed in mahogany and leather where most of the pens have four figure price tags.

 

I really appreciate how much easier it is to find great quality pen and paper in Europe than in the US. My biggest regret is finding out about Akkerman ink after I visited the Netherlands - I love the bottle but I think it costs about three times the price to get it here. Hopefully the next time I'm in EurI'll be able to check out a flea market, I've seen a lot of gems that people have picked up that way.

 

Don’t know if you’re of that age when schools insisted on pen and ink, writing seem to be swinging back that pre digital way as with many things.

 

I am not. To my knowledge, fountain pens fell out of favor with school children in the the US around the 1950's, although I could be completely wrong. Most of my friends who grew up in other countries used them until a much later time.

 

[Amory]

Akkerman - is that the bottle with a marble in the neck?

Stylish ink bottles seem very popular in mainland Europe, in England they are pretty plain.

 

Europe is a great place to wander, what countries did you visit?

 

It is cold in the north now. I am wintering in warm, sunny Sicily. Outside of tourist areas there are many flea markets on the island.

[paperglo]

Yes, Akkerman is the bottle with the mini reservoir and a marble in the neck. I like both the function and the aesthetics, though I know there are inserts that are sold that serve the same purpose. The Akkerman bottles sell for about 30-38 usd here which is roughly 25-31 eur, plus shipping

 

I only started travelling regularly in the last couple of years. In Europe I've been to France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Iceland, if that counts. I find that I enjoy the countryside a lot more than the big cities. We like to rent a car and wander around the countryside. I'm now becoming more and more invested in pens and ink, where I am planning my next trip based on pen shows

 

A friend of mine just visited Sicily and it looks wonderful. It's quite cold in New York now, but I kind of enjoy having four seasons.

[Amory]

Yes Iceland must count as its where America and Europe tectonic plates touch. Did you get your photograph - one leg on each while you were there?

 

Sicily is very popular with your countrymen (women) as there is an American base here and cruise ships stop off as well.

Road trips are my fav. Hope to drive across southern states next winter. Have been reading William Least Heat Moon and now Jack Kerouac.

 

Havent visited a pen show yet. Am I right in thinking the major pen shows are in USA.

 

I used to collect things but I moved on a few years ago now living a minimalist lifestyle. Looking is still enjoyable though. As is reading about the pleasure people get from collecting.

[Henricum_Tropen]

Hello and welcome to FPN, from Cape Town, South Africa.

[paperglo]

Yes Iceland must count as its where America and Europe tectonic plates touch. Did you get your photograph - one leg on each while you were there?

 

Unfortunately we drove past Þingvellir and did not have a chance to stop in to take the iconic photo. I did manage to some other major attractions like the geysirs, waterfalls and ice crater, so it was still a fantastic trip.

 

 

Havent visited a pen show yet. Am I right in thinking the major pen shows are in USA.

 

I don't know if the US shows are the major ones, but I did manage to find a list of European pen shows.

 

I do enjoy looking at others' collections but I'm definitely more of an accidental ink collector. I travel lightly and with disposable cosmetics just so I can be sure I can bring ink back home.

[Amory]

Unfortunately we drove past Þingvellir....

 

Thats a jolly good reason to go back. I had intended to go back again last summer but did a roadtrip Finland & Scandinavia instead.

 

Thanks for the penshow link, Ill try one if Im passing.

 

Disposable war paints (cosmetics) sounds a good plan. They can take up so much valuable shopping space. It made me smile, you keen on European inks and in England they rave about Noodlers.

 

My home country is England, although Ive only been there around 5 weeks in last 3 years. Often on holiday its easier to send a parcel between Europe & UK than carrying on flights as its a free trade area. Not sure how that would work for you though for customs etc.

 

Started a Leuchtturm1917, its taking some time to get used to. Wet nib puts down a wider line in it than clairefontaine papers. How does the tomoe river paper you use handle ink?

[paperglo]

I would love to go back to Iceland- getting there is actually quite cheap but actually being there is so damn expensive (and that's coming from a New Yorker!). Plus it seems like every place I visit I say that I want to return to, but there is this whole list of new places I want to see too. (First world problems, I know).

 

I've definitely considered shipping things back but I don't think it's cost efficient internationally - for the cost I may as well just throw my non-valuables (clothing, etc haha) into a check-in luggage and pay the ridiculous airline fee for the bag. My pens, inks, and paper have to travel with me, of course.

 

I haven't tried too many papers- I love Leuchtturm and Clairefontaine paper in general but I find that the Tomoe River and Rhodia fit my needs the best. The rhodia pads are more affordable for me here and so I can use them as practice/scratch paper. The TR is extremely ink resistant, so it does take a long time to dry- I'm a lefty and have to be extra careful about that. But it's the only affordable paper I've tried that really showcases all the subtleties of some of the inks that I use. A great example is the J. Herbin 1670 Emerald of Chivor - I can't seem to ever get the nice red sheen on any of my other writing paper, but on the TR it really comes through. If you can't get your hands on any, DM me an address and I can send a sample of the paper your way to try.

 

All this talk of papers and travel is making me want to travel!

[SergioAA]

Welcome !

[Amory]

Yes Iceland is a virtually free stop on New York route post Concord. Even the Scandinavians complain about the prices there. Not the place to go pen shopping Haha.

 

I wonder if you managed to visit that rather splendid pen shop in Luxembourg City whilst you were there?

 

I have shipped from US to England it was very cost effective for standard (slow) delivery for a couple of kilos.

 

Just before I promise not to mention travel again I will tell you why I am unable to take advantage of your very kind offer to send a paper sample. I started a road trip January 2015 and do not have a postal address. I believe you call people like me Snowbirds.

 

I hope to buy some J. Herbin ink when I pass through France in spring, at the moment I have Diamine oxblood, sherwood green and bougainvillea which is a beautiful saturated deep pink. Perhaps a colour for next journal.

 

How do you find your Leuchtturm journal? I am using one that was gifted to me. I find the ink spreads in mine, some pages more than others. My Lamy fine comes up looking like medium.

[paperglo]

Unfortunately I was in Luxembourg with family so it left me no time to explore on my own. What little I did see I loved and I hope to be able to visit again on my own time. Now I know that I have to look for this shop in Luxembourg City.

 

You've been on a road trip for 3 years? That sounds amazing. It isn't for everyone, but if one can make it work, it sounds like quite the adventure.

 

Diamine oxblood is on of my favorites inks, it flows well in all my pens and is subtle enough to use for everyday writing. I don't think that I could ever get tired of that ink. I just picked up some Organics Studio in Walden Pond Green- it's such an interesting color and it's easily my favorite fun ink at the moment.

 

I might be crazy but t I find the Leuchtturm a little toothy and my go-to inks don't perform as well as I'd like on the paper, so I tend to use gel pen or pencil with it and that works great. They make wonderful notebooks, but for fountain pens I tend to stick to with Rhodia/Clairefontaine notebooks for the smoother paper.

 

The Rhodia R premium line is superb, and should be easier to find in Europe than Japanese paper. If you're ever in Berlin, I know that Luiban carries a selection of Tomoe River paper. I should add that TR paper is hit or miss with most people I've met. Their papers are very thin, almost newsprint-like- that works in my favor as a pad contains more sheets, but there are people who dislike it for being too thin and too smooth (to me there is no such thing).

[Amory]

There are so many positive reviews and comments about Oxblood. I think it looks great on the off white paper used in Webby and 1917’s. Must have a dozen or so travel journals where I’ve used it for words and lines.

I am fine with the paper texture it is the spread I find an issue. A finer nib may be the answer, the extra fine pen I have with me has ink flow issues, for lines it’s back to a Rotring isograph. They are a technical pen with constant line width.

 

 

 

I emailed a friend who is a paper merchant recently, he has secured some Tomoe River samples which are now awaiting my return to London. I understand from his comments that it is a budget paper most commonly used in printing catalogs. You have inspired me though and I will let you know how it works for me.

 

I am sure long term travel would suit few people, this is my longest so far. No one has told me it is time to stop yet, and the novelty of never walking along the same street twice is as addictive as ever.

 

I checked out your new Organics Studio ink. It looks great, I can see why you chose that. Are you planning to post a review?