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  1. Venemo

    M&m Turquoise - Ink Review

    Hey Everyone! This is my first review on this forum, about an ink that I've been using for a couple of months and so far I like. Hope you enjoy! Here are our test subjects: M&M Turquoise ink, Montblanc Noblesse, Parker Jotter. And of course, the hand-written review: Here is a small sample on some very cheap paper, which produces some subtle bleed-through: Summary This is a pretty nice and likeable ink. It's totally easy to use. (You can even leave your pen uncapped for a while, and it doesn't dry or clog, just becomes a bit darker.) It lubricates quite well, but not too much and gives a smooth experience. I like the color, but it's rather blueish, not very turquoise. Dry time is about 5-6 seconds, and it doesn't smudge at all after that. If you have any questions or suggestions on how to improve this review (or maybe how to make a better one next time), please answer this topic.
  2. This is my first pen review. I only have a few pens, all but the Delta Serena were well below $100. When the local B&M announced their fall show and sale, I went for a visit. This pen was on my list to look at, and as soon as I picked it up I decided to get it. This is my first hooded pen. ______________________________________________________________________ Appearance & Design (9) A contemporary design that will not be loved by everyone. The pen is wide in the center and tapers down to the squared ends. The nib section, about 2/3 the size of the cap, and the nib hood is chromed on top and black plastic (resin?) below. The cap is almost the same length as the body shell. If Steve Jobs and Apple had designed a fountain pen, it might look like this. Construction & Quality (7.5) I like the way it is constructed. The body and cap seem to be aluminum or brass and there is a brass insert on the body shell for fitting to the nib section. The finish, a muted purple seems durable, but time will tell, of course. The warranty is for three years. One issue I see is when screwing the body back onto the nib section: it threads on fairly easily until the last mm or so, and then it feels tight. Not like it’s cross-threaded or going to break, but it definitely needs a little more force to go that last little bit. Weight & Dimensions (9) The pen’s length is about 5-1/2” (14 cm) overall. The cap and body shell are almost the same length, about 2 5/8” (6.5 cm) and 2/7/8” (7.5 cm) respectively. The weight is listed as about 2-1/2 oz. (35 grams). The pen’s balance seems to be slightly weight forward, but it seems to fall into writing position rather naturally. Nib & Performance (8) This nib is a bit wider than I expected, but it is finer than the others I have. Being somewhat impatient at times, and spending the day in town with the family, I didn’t want to wait to get home and flush before trying. I immediately popped in one of the cartridges and the pen started right up. No skipping, so far; it will get a good workout this week. Filling System & Maintenance (8) I haven’t used the converter, yet, since the pen came with two cartridges. I’ll load it with something special later in the week and give it a run. The cartridge fits without leaking and the pen started right away. Cost & Value (9) This pen normally sells for $110 at this particular store but with a 10% discount on everything in stock (or ordered), it came in at $99. This allowed be to purchase two pens and a bottle of ink, keeping within my budget. Conclusion (Final score : 8.4) I’ve only had this pen a couple of days, and I am quite happy with the purchase. I am even considering a second one with the medium nib. If you like a pen with a sleek, contemporary design, you might want to look at this one. cmw3_d40_6441 by Charlie Wrenn, on Flickr cmw3_d40_6436 by Charlie Wrenn, on Flickr cmw3_d40_6438 by Charlie Wrenn, on Flickr
  3. TWSBI – Vac 700 (Goulet M nib, Blue) http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3732/11346039556_ec1b75cfde.jpg Specifications: Length (capped): 145mm Length (uncapped): 134mm Length (posted): 174 (!!) mm Width at grip: 10mm Widest width: 15mm Nib material: Stainless steel (Stock Jowo), gold plated stainless steel (Goulet) Nib length x width: Jowo – 23 x 9mm, Goulet – 24 x 9mm Introduction My personal experience with TWSBI has been interesting. A Taiwanese company that has made impressive and rapid improvements in a somewhat slow moving and increasingly overpriced industry, TWSBI set out to make modern, well writing pens that are good value. My first TWSBI was a Diamond 540. I loved it – it was cheap, looked great and was a large capacity piston filler. But as time wore on, issues began to arise – a bone dry nib that went out of alignment too easily (Two issues that I see far too much with the other Bocks in my collection), a filling mechanism that required far more maintenance than my trusty Pelikan, and small cracks around the grip section. Towards the end of our relationship, the Diamond no longer set my heart aflutter whenever I picked it up like it used to. This all came to a head when the metal ring on the cap abruptly broke off when I twisted the pen too tightly. I guess some romances are doomed from the start. This experience slightly soured my view on TWSBI, so I wasn't exactly eager to try the Vac 700. After all, it was awkward looking, had a similarly dry nib, and was a relatively expensive purchase from a company that I didn't have much faith in. One TWSBI Diamond 580, a Jowo nib change and a price drop later, the Vac 700 was suddenly a much more appetising proposition. How could I say no? I decided on the blue version. Presentation Unabashedly Apple inspired, the the Vac700 shares the same box with the Diamond series and my iPod Nano: http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2894/11346049716_56103e3ea7.jpg Underneath the white plastic insert, you get TWSBIs famous wrench, a bottle of silicon grease and spare O rings. You know, the kind of stuff that more expensive pens should include but never do? http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7455/11346070424_c5b16924fa.jpg The presentation is nice and fits with the overall modern impression of TWSBIs pens. Appearance http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7331/11346047636_2db1bb3ef8.jpg TWSBI set out to make the Vac 700 clash as much as possible, and boy did they succeed. The cap jewel is TWSBIs usual bold red logo. On the business end, the clip clashes nicely with the smooth chrome of the rest of the pen: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3673/11346069094_75c585d4ca.jpg The body gently tapers down to the end. Having a bulbous middle section means when you unscrew the pen, the barrel width clashes with the grip: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3784/11346065674_b8a3fabb4d.jpg The faceted turning knob and cap are designed nicely to clash with the body, which is smooth. And finally, if you chose the clear demonstrator version, the dark ends of the pen clash with the clear middle of the body. In case you haven't picked it up, I'm not a fan of the appearance of this pen. Placing the Vac next to the Diamond, it's clear the Vac was intended to be the complement of the Diamond's design, to the detriment of the resulting overall look of the Vac. The plastic itself is a dark blue, much darker than my Pelikan demonstrator is. Build quality While the jury is still out on the long term durability of TWSBIs current generation of pens, I have high hopes for the Vac. Like the Diamond 580 now does, it has metal rings to reinforce the plastic, including a ring in the grip section which was a hot-spot for cracking on my 540. The rest of the pen is thick, sturdy plastic that has no give when twisted or otherwise forced. Then again, Pelikan M2xx series do without the metal rings and do not suffer cracking issues, so perhaps TWSBI is using cheaper plastic? Either way it's difficult and pointless to speculate this early. When closed, the pen is a sleek shape with a bulging midsection (Kinda like a pen version of my father then). When opened, the pen assumes it's awkward pose - The abrupt gradient from the middle of the body to the grip means I have to hold the pen tighter to get a more secure grip - and this means I'm pinching the already sharp threads very tightly. Annoying. And posting the cap just makes the pen look ridiculous: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3721/11346040006_6874634d3f.jpg One curiosity of this pen, and vacuum fillers in general is that you must unscrew the blind cap a little to allow ink to flow through freely through the feed. While a minor inconvenience, it does mean that the pen is totally safe for flying. And as a bonus, TWSBI said you can remove the rubber seal at the end of the piston rod if you don't like unscrewing the blind cap. Personally, I've found the nib leaks ink into the cap when the ink reservoir isn't sealed, so I'll leave it on for the time being. One issue I should point out is that I'm naughty, and frequently return unused ink to its ink bottle when I wish to change colours (I'll slap myself on the wrist later I promise), this is a very, very messy operation with a vacuum filler, with the feed section literally squirting droplets of ink all over the place, not an issue if you have good fountain pen hygiene, but I don't. Nib I received a predictably good Jowo nib on my unit. What interested me however, was comparing it to the Goulet nib. The Goulet nibs are also made by Jowo and I expected the Goulet nib to be a rebrand of the Jowo nib that shipped with my Vac 700 – but to my surprise they are definitely different nibs. http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5529/11345965045_6acb0990dc.jpg http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7407/11346112203_605c1a327c.jpg Not that the visual differences really matter, but both nibs taper to the same angle. The Goulet nib appears to be the same width Jowo nib, and the flares are cut differently too. The Goulet nib also has a flatter top section where the nib rests against the of the feed – the Jowo nib on the other hand is uniformly round, and fits the native Vac feed better: http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2879/11346110103_d6cdcbb301.jpg Writing with the nibs is different too. After much comparison, nib swapping, and getting a friend to double check to confirm that it wasn't a figment of my imagination, I feel confident to say the Goulet nib is stiffer, and is wetter. Neither nib has any hard start or skipping issues (anyone else find it depressing that in 2013 it's a pleasant surprise to find a pen that never does either of those things?). Overall it's impossible to say if I prefer one to the other – the stiffness of the Goulet nib means you need to be more judicious about how you hold the pen to get its sweet spot, but when you do the pen is smooth, lush and wet (I swear I don't write erotic literature for a living). The Jowo nib, as pretty much everyone who owns a Diamond 580 will tell you, is lightly springy, reliable, and also smooth. So if the Goulet nib doesn't necessarily write any better than the stock nib, why buy the Goulet nib? Well aside from having a spare, very reliable #6 nib, consider the fact that we are living in the fountain pen equivalent of a post apocalyptic world. When was the last time you physically saw another fountain pen out in the wild. Not often? If wearing the Goulet Pens logo on your pen can help raise some awareness of fountain pens and support a fountain pen retailer, then I think that's a fine reason to use this nib. Drag Test/Writing sample: http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5548/11346107933_7e67f2b433.jpg Overall 3.5/5 A vacuum filler for around $65? With a good Jowo nib? Bargain. However, as a flagship for TWSBI I find it lacking – your more expensive pens should not be so thoroughly upstaged by a cheaper model. But with this and TWSBIs speed of innovation in mind, I can confidently say that the next version of the Vac will probably be an extraordinary pen. The Good: + Flushing a vacuum filler beats the hell out of flushing a cartridge converter. + Well made. + Includes extra seals and silicone grease. + With recent price drops, it's great value. + Able to post the pen deeply with the blind cap unscrewed a little. + Can seal up the ink reservoir for flying. + TWSBIs customer service is second to none. The Bad: - Awkward looking, made somewhat embarrassing by the fact the pen is large and noticeable. - I found the pen uncomfortable to hold, but others do not, so be aware this may be a problem. The Ugly: - The TWSBI Diamond looks better, is more comfortable to hold, has a similar ink capacity and is $30 cheaper. Comparison With the TWSBI diamond of course: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3787/11346067324_7bba01b735.jpg http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7293/11345967275_216fd3751d.jpg http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5525/11346068464_4cab0109bb.jpg
  4. The t2mr guys have posted one more review on their youtube channel, this time of the mighty Pilot's most underrated pen - The Pilot ED or as they call it the Non Self Filling Fountain Pen. Here is the video review: Even i have this pen with me. My medium nib is also very fine, finer than the Metropolitan (like the reviewer said). Anyways, i simply adore it. Even though, Metropolitan is a better looking pen, but this one's pretty light and reminds me of my old Hero Pens. I got it an year ago for Rs.400 from a local store. Now, the rates have increased (a lot), but i still think this pen is worth 600-700. Its a Pilot afterall
  5. Hello Fellows this is my very first review on this forum i love this ink specially on ink resistance papers. black and red not book shows extreme amount of sheen below is the HP 32 LB paper dc electric blue.pdf Below is the black and red notebook 5.29 from Walmart Below is on the fabriano notebook from hobby lobby 3.99 Hope this is helpful for finding cheap notebook and paper i really hoped for more sheen and shading on HP paper but i guess it is not as ink resistance as i though
  6. SaskNapolean

    Private Reserve Blue Suede

    This is just copy and pasted from my blog, The Pen Haul, so the formatting may be a little different than usual. I think I hit all of major points, but I am just finding my stride when it comes to ink reviews so let me know if there is anything else you would like to see! My first ink review was of my favourite ink, Private Reserve Ebony Blue, so the next progression would be of my potentially second favourite ink by the same company, Private Reserve Blue Suede. I say potentially because I have been getting and trying a lot of new ink recently so the number 2 spot is a bit more flexible than number 1. Why is this my number 2 ink? For many of the same reasons why Ebony Blue is my favourite. http://i0.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_1028.jpg?resize=640%2C853 The first thing that I love about this ink is the colour. I am not an expert on the different ranges of the colour spectrum, but to me this seems like a very nice tealy turquoise, but definitely in the blue category. I didn’t know that I was big on all of the different shades of blue when I first got into this hobby, but looking at how many bottles and samples of blue ink that I have and the fact that my first two ink reviews claiming to be my two favourite inks are blue, I would now say that I enjoy them quite a bit. http://i0.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_1032.jpg?resize=640%2C853 This shade of blue is quite “summery” and “beachy” in my opinion, so it really sets you in the summer mood when you write with it. Come winter time, you could even argue that it would be season appropriate as well (but lets focus on the summer for now). Unlike many of my first bottles of ink, I actually used up an entire sample before picking up a bottle. My then future fiance really enjoyed the colour, which was the first time she expressed any interest in my ink, so that was extremely encouraging. If you read my review of Ebony Blue, you will also see that it is no secret that she absolutely loves Private Reserve bottles for some reason, so if you pair these two factors together, you get one bottle of ink added to my collection. http://i0.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_1045.jpg?resize=640%2C853 Back in February, we made a trip up to Edmonton and being the pen nerd that I am, I insisted that we would visit Stylus Fine Pens located downtown. It was amazing! Not quite like The Fountain Pen Hospital, but this was my first experience in a real fountain pen store and I was over the moon. Both PR Blue Suede and my TWSBI Vac 700 (1.1mm nib) that almost all of the writing samples are from were part of the loot from that trip. For those interested, I have kept that pen inked with Blue Suede since that day and haven’t had any issues with drying out or anything similar. http://i1.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Quote-with-Vac-700.jpg?resize=640%2C853 One thing that I raved about in my review of Ebony Blue was how amazing the red sheen is. Well guess what, Blue Suede has it too! When you lay down a nice wet line like my Vac 700 has been doing, you really get to see the truly amazing feat happen before your eyes. The shading with this ink is also something to get excited about too. The sheen and shading together with this gorgeous colour makes for one killer combination. http://i0.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_1027.jpg?resize=640%2C853 The only thing that I am a tad wary of with this ink is of how the ink smells directly from the bottle. I get some sort of chlorine or “fresh” smell which is very strange as none of my other inks smell even remotely similar. I haven’t noticed any negative side effect in the bottle or in the pen yet, but if this is the sign of a serious issue, please let me know! I got some feedback from my last review to add a bit more technical information such as dry time and such, so I will give it my best shot, but this is by no means a finalized, polished off method: http://i1.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_1026.jpg?resize=640%2C853 Dry Time: Varies – Got some weird results with this one. My freshly inked Franklin Covey Freemont in a medium nib took about 25-30 seconds to dry completely, but when my 1.1mm TWSBI Vac 700 laid down a thick wet line, it took under 10 seconds to dry. If you can explain why this is, please be my guest. Smearing When Dry: None with dry fingers, but if you have sweaty hands like my self, you may get some smudging. Waterproof: None at all Shading:YUP! Sheen: Amazing red sheen! Finding comparables from only the ink I own proved to be a fairly difficult task, but here are the ones that I feel are slightly similar. http://i1.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_1037.jpg?fit=300%2C300 Sailor Yama-Dori http://i2.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_1036.jpg?fit=300%2C300 Noodler’s Squeteague http://i1.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_1034.jpg?fit=300%2C300 Noodler’s Navy http://i2.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_1038.jpg?fit=300%2C300 De Atramentis Steel Blue http://i0.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_1041.jpg?fit=300%2C300 De Atramentis Petrol http://i2.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_1042.jpg?fit=300%2C300 De Atramentis Midnight Blue I wasn’t planning on reaching outside of my personal collection, but with all of the hype over this ink, J. Herbin 1670 Emerald of Chivor (review by Ed Jelly), I couldn’t help but notice the similarities. If you remove the gold from it, they almost appear to be identical in colour, shading, and sheen, so if you are super pumped about the new J. Herbin colour but don’t want gold sparkles or to spend $27, check out Blue Suede!
  7. Hey guys... Its been a long time since i have been on FPN. I felt like i needed a break from the pens world, for the moment. But just now, i saw a notification of a new video in my inbox. Its "the two minutes" guys review of the good old Platinum Preppy... Here have a look: I m so happy with the way this video has been shot. I used to adore Matt Armstrong for the way he showed the pens in his review, but this guys has taken it a step ahead. Asthetically beautiful review. And this review has made me take out my Baby Pink Platinum Preppy from my closet. I havent tried many colors of this pen, because of high price, but the purple one from the video looks kinda cool. How's yellow? Has anyone tried it? I think it is too light.
  8. Received today. Review in the photo,
  9. Much has been written about the Delta Dolce Vita Oversize. The look quite similar, but may appeal to different sets of people. Here, I attempt to give a quick review of the DV medium and highlight some of the differences. The first difference is of course the price point, with the oversize about GBP 100 more than the medium. I went for the medium because the oversize is too broad for my hand (like I said, they may appeal to a different set of people). The medium is the perfect size for me, presented in a very nice and substantial felt-covered box. The box contains some literature on Delta and the nib, a small box of delta cartridges, and the pen itself. The pen is a beauty-if you think orange is not your thing, take a look at this one. It is distinctive without being too flashy. I went for the vermeil trim, and I am not complaining. The detailing of the Pompeii relief on the central band is quite meticulous. Also, the small rolling wheel at the end of the clip is a nice touch. Unlike the oversize model, this pen doesn't have a ink-window. Personally, I am not a big fan of ink windows (with the exception of the one in Lamy 2000)-so this is not a deal breaker for me. The filling system is a normal C/C-and not the piston fill or eyedropper as in the Oversize. I found the filling system quite efficient. However, the girth of DV, even on the medium is quite wide-it didn't get into my bottle of J Herbin 1670 Anniversary Edition inks. This was a bit annoying. So I can only guess that the Oversize might not fit into some more ink vials. Finally, I managed to fill it with Herbin's Orange Indien-I know, I know, that's one orange too many! This pen needs to break into your hand. The first few strokes mayn't be smooth enough, I ended up with an ink blob on my paper. But after that boy, does it write well! The 14k-585 nib is buttery smooth, with some flex in it. I went for the Fine grind, and it produces consistent lines every time without ever being scratchy. I got this baby for a steal from martemodena (no affiliations) and hence it is wonderful value for money. If you want a distinctive pen, that writes like a dream, reminds of a summer well spent in Italy, and doesn't burn a hole in your pocket-the Dolce Vita medium might just be it. Thanks for reading.
  10. dot

    Pilot 77

    http://i1241.photobucket.com/albums/gg517/brooklynshere/Pens/pilotreview2_zps376f577e.jpg Thought I'd post some observations on the Pilot 77. Like others here, I purchased mine NOS at Luis Store. (Side note: it's my first foray into older pens. It was scintillating.) Just below the cap are engraved these three lines: NAMARCO//PILOT 77//MADE IN JAPAN. On the cap and the nib are engraved PILOT. http://i1241.photobucket.com/albums/gg517/brooklynshere/Pens/pilotreview1_zps72ca60c1.jpg It's really more of a good workhorse pen than one for high flourish, as you can see--you're not going to get really thick lines. The nib feels resilient and a bit springy--definitely my favorite feature of the pen, along with its slim body (I have small hands and prefer svelte pens) and early 1960's color scheme. The shape of the nib, however, makes it prone to nib creep or at least ink collecting in the crevices. Here's a close-up: http://i1241.photobucket.com/albums/gg517/brooklynshere/Pens/pilotreview3_zpsf3c7a4b1.jpg And here's a fuzzy picture alongside some more widely syndicated budget pens, the Pilot 78G and the Lamy Al-Star, for comparisons' sake. http://i1241.photobucket.com/albums/gg517/brooklynshere/Pens/82746c43-a02d-4f9c-b5df-3cf046827c1e_zps02fe967b.jpg Hope you liked this brief look at one of my favorite writers!
  11. I cannot find any reviews for any of the bril inks. Anybody found one? If not, anybody up for reviewing it? It would be great to have a review, i have heard it is one of the standard reliable Indian inks like Camlin/Chelpark. I found a couple of reviews of the Camlin royal blue ink, but none for the bril. So, Anyone up for it? Oh, and bdw. I just did a review of the Camlin ink on YouTube because i thought the ink is worthy of documentation. If anybody is interested. Here is the link. Thanks! http://youtu.be/tH8jmAFYGkc
  12. AgentVenom

    Noodler's Ink - Nightshade

    * Originally posted on my Instagram page. Ink Review: Noodler's Ink, Nightshade. Grade: 62.50%. Paper Tested On: Norcom Composition, Clairefontaine 85g, 20lb Staples brand). Nightshade (NS) is a dark mauve, or burgundy, colored ink that reminds me a lot of Noodler's Black Swan in Australian Roses. On cheaper paper it sometimes has a brown quality to it that reminds me of rust, especially when just writing normally. When used in a flex pen, the shading is very subtle, which can be appealing depending on the desired application, but on very absorptive paper, the color becomes matte and the shading is almost non-existent. NS is a very wet ink, that drys very quickly despite its saturated nature. Which I think makes this ink ideal for practicing calligraphy in a flex pen. The trade off, as you probably guessed, is that NS feathers and bleeds heavily, even on 85g Clairefontaine paper. When I did flex writing with NS on cheap office paper, some of the letters got a gray halo around them. It reminded of the separation you see in chromatography. NS is not a permanent ink. You can see from my tests that water lifts the words right off the page. I've used NS in an ink wash and I really enjoyed the effects I got with NS. I was surprised that it held up so well to hand sanitizer and nail polish remover. Just don't expect it to be bulletproof like its Australian cousin. If you're looking for a wet ink that isn't your every day purple, then you should check out Noodler's Nightshade.
  13. Hi All! Here comes a new "ruthless review". My ruthless reviews have a few peculiar features: Concise;Very strict. If a pen costs hundred of euros, no faults are allowed. - A good pen gets a 60/100, - A great pen an 80/100, - An almost perfect one a 90/100. - Only a divine pen can have above 90.Don't care about the box,Add a few peculiar criteria:Nib appearance;Usability in shirt pockets;Out-of-the-boxness, meaning to what extent a nib was perfect right after leaving the seller. Fosfor Sandalwood pen (Custom made) I don't have own pictures, but you can see an example here. Mine is the same, just with a red ebonite section. It's my first Indian pen and I'm really happy! 1. Appearance and design: 8/10 If you like a perfect, timeless minimalist design, this is great. No complaints here, just that the inner of the cap scratches a bit the section, which is not nice. 2. Construction: 10/10 Really sturdy, perfectly hand-crafted. Couldn't find a single contruction fault so far! 3. Quality of materials: 9/10 Genuine sandalwood, with a lovely scent to it. What else do you want? I remove one point because it's prone to staining, but that's the price to pay. 4. Weight and dimensions: 7/10 A bit too large for many hands, I'm afraid, but has the right length. Super-lightweight, also, which may be an issue for some. 5. Nib performance: 7/10 Nice standard JoWo steel nib: stiff, but reliable; a bit soulles, though. It can be a hard-starter on very dry inks, but it's not a major issue. 6. Nib appearance: 5/10 Meh.. Not exactly the most beautiful nib out there. It looks like this. JoWo could do a far better job, but it's not Fosfor Pens' fault. 7. "Out-of-the-boxness": 8/10 The nib needed a bit of tweaking to get the ink flow right, but it was easy. Good job here! 8. Filling system and maintenance: 6/10 Standard C/C system, nothing special. The converter looks well-built enough. 9. Clip and usability with shirts: N/A This is a desk pen, so this field doesn't apply. 10. Cost and value: 10/10 USD 100 + 12 for shipping. Considering it's hand-made, and Manoj of Fosfor Pens is a great seller to deal with, this is an excellent price. Final mark: 70/90, or 77.8/100 This is a very good pen indeed. If only it had a nicer nib, it would be a great pen. To give you an idea, at the moment it's at the same level as a Platinum 3776 with music nib, and very close to my Omas Arte Italiana. Enough said To conclude: go on Manoj's Fosfor Pens' website and get one now. No affiliation, etc. etc.: the guy is great and knows how to make really unique stuff.
  14. themadstork

    Noodlers General Of The Armies

    First off I apologize for my egregious juvenile handwriting and the fact that a small bit of the scan is cut off. However I Didn't see any other reviews of this ink yet so I figured why not give my opinion. Also thank you to Mezzie for the PIF I received some months ago for 3 months of ink drop, the two inks I compare General of the armies to were received in those ink drops. I got this bottle of General of the Armies back in march. I filled it once before the fill I used to review the ink. On the first fill the ink was substantially darker and seemingly a bit more blue, the dyes may have settled in between fills causing this but I'm not sure. Overall though, I liked both colors and I think this is a great addition to Noodler's stable of bulletproof inks. Hopefully you can read my bad cursive and chicken scratch
  15. Organics Studio isn't making inks anymore, but back when they did I was a big fan. Nickel was the first ink of theirs I purchased, and after some time I started getting more. The creative inks were my favorite, like the iron gall Aristotle and the chlorophyl-pigmented Mendel. When I heard OS was stopping ink production I bought almost $100 worth of OS ink from the Goulets. Imagine my surprise when half of them developed SITB a few months later… So far the bottles lost to SITB are Neon, Nickel, and two others that are at the bottom of a shame pile I don't care to dig through. Luckily I'd written this review already, so while reading it just remember that when I wrote the review it was a currently produced ink and also didn't have a colony growing in it. http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/537/6AdqZc.jpg
  16. AgentVenom

    Noodler's Ink - Dragon's Napalm

    *originally posted on my Instagram. Ink Review: Noodler's Ink, Dragon's Napalm. Grade: 58.75%. Paper: Norcom Composition. Noodler's Dragon's Napalm (DN) is one of those colors that I may have never bought on my own. Fortunately, a 3oz bottle was given to me as a gift. I would call DN either a fulvous or a deep cadmium color. Or, if you're from Tennessee like me, Volunteer orange. DN may look like a highlighter ink, but a pretty long drying time may make you think twice about using it as such. If you can get past the long dry times, DN will burn off the page. You may find DN to be one of those inks that is a little hard to read on its own and may even strain your eyes if you stare at it too long. DN isn't waterproof, bulletproof, or eternal, so it's pretty easy to clean. Even from your hands so long as you wash them quickly enough. But, DN is fluorescent. If you shine a black light on it you'll probably be reminded of a construction workers safety vest. However, it is interesting to note that when I put water drops and hand sanitizer onto the ink, the portions washed out glowed just as bright as Noodler's Blue Ghost. Just be aware, that according to the Noodler's properties chart that DN does not respond to all UV wavelengths. I was fortunate that it reacted to mind. DN is a smooth writing ink that will be prone to feather. Especially on cheap office paper. I've done some flex writing with a Zebra G nib, but the ink explodes and bleeds heavily unless I use some pretty nice paper. You're not going to get very much shading out of DN, which is a shame because of its beautiful color. I think I'll try to put some Whiteness of the Whale in a sample to see what happens. Overall, I love DN. The bright color and severe feathering and bleeding may not be for everyone, and I get that. But, if you love orange, and feel like you can handle a a Hungarian Horntail, then I would highly recommend this ink.
  17. I spent many hours on this video, mostly because the program I use to edit is garbage. There's a typo or two in the video that I don't want to fix, as that would risk losing every subtitle and transition. That's how bad the program is.The pen's alright, though. I'm trying to improve, so feel free to leave criticisms.
  18. Here is the review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiyAiUX1ywA Has anyone tried this Pen before? I have just seen this pen on the office site of Luxor.. They say, its out of stock.. I will be calling Luxor to see if they still have this pen. If i am not wrong, Luxor sells Parker and Pilot pens in India. Who knows, they might have borrowed the technology of these companies to produce a very nice pen of their own. This review says so, atleast. If anyone can provide me the link from where i can get this pen, i would be more than happy.
  19. This review is going to be a bit unorthodox compared to others I have seen on here, but I still hope my style of writing will be useful for all of you. This is just copy and pasted from my blog so I hope you can check it out as well. Today I am going to talk about the carbon fibre Faber Castell Basic. It is fairly well know in the fountain pen community, but not as widely recognized as the popular Lamy Safari, which is in a similar price range. This particular version is a sexy pen, I will say that right now. The carbon fibre body matched with the matte black cap has a very sleek feel to it, even if the cap is a little on the large side. http://i1.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Cap.jpg?resize=640%2C853 However, I have had some issues with this pen that you will need to seriously consider if you are thinking about purchasing this pen. I will start with something that is more of a feature than an issue depending on your preference. It is a very heavy pen (34 grams according to Goulet Pens), which I don’t mind, but due to the pen and grip section being so round, it tends to roll in my hand as I write. It might just be how I hold the pen, but it is definitely something to keep in mind. http://i1.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Barrel.jpg?resize=640%2C853 For those of you who like to post your pens, start looking elsewhere now. Even though the cap is light enough and actually stays posted quite solidly, it makes the pen waaaay too long to the point where it just looks goofy and becomes impractical. Here are a few pictures to see how the size of the Faber Castell Basic sizes up against a few of the other popular pens out there: http://i2.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Basic-Comparison-Capped.jpg?resize=640%2C480The Basic between a Pilot Vanishing Point, Lamy Safari, and Noodler’s Neponset capped. http://i2.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Basic-Comparison-Uncapped.jpg?resize=640%2C480Uncapped http://i2.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Basic-Comparison-Posted1.jpg?resize=640%2C479Posted For those of you who don’t know, the Noodler’s Neponset is a huge pen! Now look at how short it looks when compared to the Basic when both are posted. Imagine writing with that in a meeting or at school, your colleagues will think you are a nuts! Writing Experience Lets talk about the nib for a minute. I opted for the fine nib because it was only option available at my local pen store, The Paper Umbrella. I have read quite a few reviews on this pen before I purchased it (a few of those are linked below), and the common theme seems to be that Faber Castell has the smoothest steel nibs out there. This has not been my experience. http://i0.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Grip-Section.jpg?resize=640%2C853 The writing experience has been average at best, and frustrating at it’s worst. I currently have it inked with Private Reserve Avacado and while there is definitely feedback, it provides as decent writing experience. It is hard to explain the smoothness of a nib, but it is by no means “buttery smooth.” You might be thinking that a bit of feedback doesn’t sound so bad, but when I previously had it inked with Diamine Eclipse, which is a fairly dry ink in my experience, it was almost unusable. Hard starts nearly every time I went to write with the occasional skipping plagued my writing experience. It is possible that I just got a dud, so don’t discount everyone else’s experiences since mine seems to be an outlier. You can also use this as a learning opportunity that not every ink will work well with every pen. A wet ink with a dry pen, or a dry ink with a gusher may help you find that customized writing experience that you have been looking for. Here is quick comparison of the fine nib on the Faber Castell compared to a few other pens I had lying around: http://i0.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Writing-Comparison-Printing.jpg?resize=640%2C853 The Section Now here is where the real problem with this pen lies. The rubber grip section with little grooves going through it may look pretty cool, but it causes more of a headache than it’s worth. First of all, if you want to fill the pen from a bottle, you will want to dip the converter directly into the bottle rather than with it attached to the nib and section. This is because ink will get in those little grooves and can be a pain to clean out. The biggest issue, however, is the fact that this rubber grip section cracks! Before you go jumping to the conclusion that I just over tightened the barrel or that I have super human strength, I consciously did not over tighten the barrel having read reports of cracking before buying the pen. I first noticed a crack after about 2 months, but over the next month or so, it progressively got worse before I eventually delegated it to storage. http://i2.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Cracked-Section.jpg?resize=640%2C853 Recently I was looking though my pens to decide what to ink up next and I seen my poor Faber Castell Basic and thought there has to be a way to fix this. I did what I should have done when first noticed the crack, and emailed both the store and the Canadian Faber Castell distributer about the issue. The service I received was top notch and I had a replacement section coming in the mail within days! Why didn’t I do this earlier!!? Let me show you quick how to change the section if you ever come across the same problem. First, remove the barrel and converter from the nib and section: http://i0.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Dissasembled.jpg?resize=640%2C853 Next, pinch the nib and feed in one hand and the cracked nib section in the other. Once you have a good grip, just twist the nib unit counter clockwise to remove it from the section: http://i0.wp.com/www.thepenhaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Screwing-in-the-nib.jpg?resize=640%2C853 Finally, just screw in the nib unit into the brand new (soon to be cracked?) rubber grip section, reassemble the pen and you are good to go. Conclusion With this new grip section, I now have a functional pen that I can use everyday. The new grip section may or may not crack again in the future, but I am definitely going to be very delicate when handling this pen in the future. Based on my experiences, I do not recommend this pen to anyone looking for a problem free pen. However, if you really like the look and price of this pen and can deal with the risk of getting a subpar nib out of the box and the potential for the rubber grip section cracking, go right ahead!
  20. TWSBI Diamond 580 Rose Gold Edition in Fine Writing Performance Review If you have any questions, feel free to ask them here!
  21. Julia161

    Noodlers Panther

    Just received my first Noodlers Panther from ebay and here are my honest impressions. - Firstly I thought that the pen looks cheaper than it costs. Sure, It's not expensive, but still there are much cheaper pens which look more presentable. - The clip is so soft and fragile that when I unscrewed the cap it changed it's angle a little. - But the color is fun. - The piston filler is interesting and convenient to use. - Semi-flexible nib for me happened to be absolutely useless, because when I tried to use its functions my handwriting became even worse than usual. In fact this is not the pen which made me write beautifully. Quite the opposite ) But for sure I need to train my cursive. - This nib also gets scratchy when underlining something or striking out. - On the other hand the nib feels very soft and pleasant when I just try to write something without care about the beauty of the letters. - The ink flow is optimal - not too little, not too much. - Another good point is that the ink doesn't dry in this pen when it's not used for few days. - In general (if not pay attention to the fragile clip) the pen looks quite stable and trustworthy. - Would I buy it again? Yes, to know what it. - Will I buy another? Only if they make some new cute color or design. - How many points I give this pen out of 10? 6. Do you have this pen model or other Noodlers? What are your impressions?
  22. Good day FPN, This event literally just happened a few minutes ago and I wanted to recount the details. Before I go further, I will say at the very beginning that the issues occurred in transit after leaving Goulet, this is a review of their customer service in dealing with such an incident. I'm also not affiliated with Goulet Pens in any way other than a customer who spends way too much on fountain pen supplies, but that's all of us right? So I've been ordering from Goulet Pens for a pretty long time, since before the Noodler's Ahab came out, and I've made more than a couple of orders so I know their shipping habits by now. Over the weekend I ordered a shiny new TWSBI Diamond 580 in Rose Gold (buy one here, if you like), as usual I got my shipping confirmation from Goulet first thing Monday morning when they opened. The first odd thing I noticed is USPS tracking said the item would take several days to be delivered, I live about 1.5-2 hours north of their office (in the DC area) so I'm used to my packages from them arriving within 24 hours even with regular shipping. No big deal, something must be going on with the post office. The day of delivery (according to the tracking number) arrives, and the pen does not. I check the tracking number again after receiving the rest of my mail, and see they misrouted my package to the wrong city; again, post office issue. The next day they've sent it where it needs to go and this is where things go from curiously irritating to bad. My box arrives and I open it up to find... nothing. The TWSBI box inside has the plastic case with the wrench and the booklet (you know the one I mean), but no pen. I was as crestfallen as a child without a puppy: http://i.imgur.com/W2l2zEC.jpg So I contacted Goulet Pens with a few pictures, and this is where the review starts. In less than 5 minutes I received two emails; one was an order confirmation for a replacement, the other was an email from Jeremy in customer service expressing his concern and he wanted to know more about the situation. I was also contacted by Jessica (who is a personal friend of my girlfriend, so we met each other quite recently) who recognized the order immediately. Between the three of us we discussed the state of the package, the outer box was banged up and retaped where torn, the TWSBI booklet was loose inside, there was no bubblewrap or cellophane (anyone who orders from Goulet understands this is a red flag), the TWSBI box itself was torn and taped over, and the TWSBI casing was missing tape on one side. We very quickly determined that something must have happened with the postal service, which I would not say is Goulet staff saying "oh it isn't our problem", this is a conclusion which I came to on my own from my personal inspection and past experiences and I fully believe the problem happened during transit: http://i.imgur.com/Khx5dSy.jpg http://i.imgur.com/7eMa8oI.jpg At this point, they've already packed my replacement, they even made sure the pen was inside the package and sent me a photo of it. If it arrives without my pen again, of course I must challenge USPS to a duel. I'm confident in my abilities, I'm a trained rapier fencer and a biter. I can't express enough the atmosphere of this company, it was a very human experience, no form letters or customer service templates, the interest and concern was sincere, you aren't getting the "jaded customer service rep punching a timecard" from Goulet Pens. This is also the only bad experience I've had while ordering from them, and clearly at no fault of their own. I'm preaching to the choir here for veteran Goulet customers, but this sort of personal touch is what put Brian and Rachel Goulet on the map in the first place; I think it's important to recognize that in 8 years since the company started, that core value has not changed. Goulet Pens has expanded and evolved over the years quite a bit, however they are no less personal and organic than when they were shipping out of their garage. I don't think that will ever change, because it's deeply ingrained into the company culture. I hope that the US Postal Service can do something to mitigate the damage, but regardless I am sad that this incident may have caused them a loss of profit because of the lost merchandise, that being said I appreciate them taking care of me so throughly and quickly. I can only hope that this testimonial will steer more business towards them in the future, and the potential customer base will outweigh the cost of one misappropriated package. A big thanks to Jeremy and Jessica at The Goulet Pen Company for giving 120% to taking care of the issue! Cheers.
  23. jody_fpn

    Jinhao 599A

    //disclaimer - I am new to fountain pens. I received from the postman a Jinhao 599a, a red pen, an inexpensive pen. I cannot figure out how the postage alone is not more than the entire purchase price. Filled with Parker Quink Ink - it writes a heavy line. It writes reliably. The pen is light. Problem: Weird grip - it wants to force your fingers in a certain position. Maybe the grip will grow on me. The flats on the grip do let you know the position of the point. Cheers, Jody
  24. Scrawler

    The Wembley Pen

    I have finally gotten around to writing a review of The Wembley Fountain Pen. It is attached in pdf format. Wembley Fountain Pen.pdf
  25. I've now had this pen for long enough, and used it enough, to feel like I can at least give it a decent review. With a quick search, I pulled up a review that included a lot of photos of packaging and things, so I won't include those. I don't pay much attention to them anyway. Suffice it to say, the pen was safe and secure in the plastic pen case. Brand: Faber Castell Pen Name: Ambition Model: Pearwood Nib: Fine Intro: A friend purchased the pen for me as a gift to start my new job. I had ogled the pen previously, as I thought it was gorgeous. Simply holding it in the store, no ink, it felt very natural in my hand. I love the feel of the wood on my fingers. It's a silly, non-empirical sentiment, but it feels very New England to me, so seemed appropriate with my origins in MA. Appearance/Design: 10/10 Clean, gorgeous, "mission" styling. I'm biased. This pen plays to all of my stylistic preferences. Clean lines, warm (untreated) natural wood, unadorned metal, and what I think of as Shaker or Mission styling with the straight, square, simple but sturdy look. I look at this pen and I WANT to write with it. Construction/Quality: 8/10 Very little flimsy here. There's very little here that seems like it could break. The threads on the metal-core body are appear brass. The pocket clip is Faber-Castell's lovely levered clip which is easy to use and doesn't get over-stressed. Everything fits very tightly, there are no visible cracks, weak points, glue joins, etc. The only worries here are the plastic lining in the cap, which seems like it could eventually wear out as it's a very tight cap (something I value). Also, a core feature of the pen is the untreated wood. If you write with it regularly you'll probably be fine. If you care for it like you would untreated wood, you'll likely be fine. But as it's thin, I could see it drying out and cracking if left alone in a box for too long, like a guitar or such. Here's the clip Weight/Dimensions: 10/10 or 5/10 Perfect for me, Heavy cap for posting Posted, the pen is 6.2 inches long and 1.1 ounces - long and hefty Unposted, the pen is only 4.8 inches long and... much lighter. I don't post. This is lucky for me, as the cap is mostly metal, while the body is light wood and light metal so posted it feels top-heavy. I also have small hands and a slightly "off" grip. I love the light, thin, straight body, and the "short" barrel is just large enough that I actually alternate gripping the pen there, and on the wood, depending what kind of writing I'm doing. However, if you have larger hands/fingers, be aware that you will have to hold it by the wood or get used to your finger tips overlapping the seam between metal and wood. If you like the hefty, broad bodied, "power pens" then the slim line of this "skinnypen" likely won't make your heart sing. Nib/Performance: 9/10 mid-flow, smooth, a bit broad I tend to prefer super-fine, dryer writers, as I write a lot of really tiny stuff. This pen doesn't do that, which at first really disappointed me. Then I got some other pens, actually used this one at work, and came to appreciate it more. I'm now on refill 3 and I've only been using it for a month, that's how much I use it. It's so far played nice with Noodler's Bad Black Moccasin, De Atramentis Black Edition Brown, and Platinum Carbon Black. I have a Fine nib. They come in EF/F/M/B. The Fine is not as fine as I'd like. That's really not the fault of the nib, it's the fault of my being used to Japanese Fine and my friend not being a FP person. Objectively, it does fall into the "fine" category. That said, the nib is a beautiful steel with iridium tip, and I've yet to have a hard-start. While I don't always prefer broader/wetter writers, I've taken to carrying this with me to meetings if I might need to write on unknown paper. It doesn't flex, at least not much with the pressure I'm willing to put on it. That's fine, it's not what I use it for. The writing is very smooth, with just a bit of feedback, even on cruddy paper, even after it has sat for a few days unused, and that feature I love. I consider it a "wetter" writer, but that's in comparison with my other pens, which are mostly Pilots currently, none of which are wet at all. It's certainly not sloshy like my Creaper. And that wetness is what facilitates the crappy paper writing. (of note, I have Noodler's Bad Black Moccasin in it at the moment). Filling System and Maintenance: 8/10 It came with a Faber-Castell converter already installed, but that's easily taken in and out and replaced. The nib and grip are easily separable, and both screw into position. The converter is simple to operate. I don't know how you would clean the wood if it became ink stained. I haven't smudged enough yet to stain. I probably will, because I am not a neat person. I worry about this, and hope my finger oils will protect it some. Otherwise, the pen doesn't seem very high-maintenance. It filled easily and wrote flawlessly straight out of the box, and re-filled equally easily. Certainly caused me less issues than my newly acquired Platinum Plaisir *looks at bright orange hands* Taken apart. You can easily unscrew the nib from the metal grip as well. Cost/Value: 7/10 A bit pricey, but worth it for me I'll admit I have little idea about this one. It feels worth it to me. I ADORE the styling on this pen, I really like the way it writes, and use it regularly. It cost $150 with the converter, which is the high range of what this pen can cost, but having bought it from a physical store I could go back and have them mess with it if something goes wrong. I write with it on a daily basis, and it's my go-to pen when I need to write on unknown paper, or when I'm practicing my penmanship with quotes on Rhodia or sugar cane paper because, like I said, it makes me WANT to write. So, for me, totally worth it. For others? If you want a thin, low maintenance pen, that you probably won't post, that's really reliable and writes like butter... it's probably worth it. It came from Paradise Pens in Reston, VA. They only had Medium nibs in stock, and I pretty much only use Fine and Extra-Fine. The shop was happy to send out for a Fine tip, and it came within a week. He didn't realize they made an Extra-Fine. Conclusion: 8.7 or 7.8 I love this pen with all my little heart. I'm not broadly experienced yet, but for me it's one of my go-to pens. With this and my Pilot Cavalier, I feel like I can write on just about any paper I need to and am not going to have problems. I love the feel of it in my hand and it makes me want to write better. It definitely has it's flaws, especially if you're a poster, or have big hands, but I'm neither. I worry about the wood, but the wood is also the reason I love it so much (mm tactile). Hopefully this is helpful! If you're new to FPs and have small hands like me, it's definitely worth the monetary leap.





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