Reviewing this memento from history has been a tricky proposition for me. Reviewing vintage pens that are not focused on aesthetic presentation (Conway Stewart Dinkies for example), but rather performance, is always tenuous. Do I review it as if it was a modern Lamy? Or do I look at it with nostalgia and consequently gloss…
Sheaffer NoNonsense Calligraphy Fountain Pen Review
The Sheaffer NoNonsense line has been around since the 1980’s and has been a mainstay of budget conscious students everywhere. I snapped up my own NoNonsense eons ago. Absolutely fell in love with its austere design and superb performance, but I should note that the nib on my particular example is exemplary and may not…
Platinum Carbon Desk Fountain Pen Review
The Platinum Carbon Desk Pen is a mainstay of the artistic world: inexpensive and predictable. It’s found in the pencil cases of illustrators worldwide. Personally, I am not much of an artist, and whilst I use fountain pens daily, I use them to write and sometimes doodle. I don’t have much use for a dedicated…
Oxford Black n’ Red “Red” A5 Journal Review
Oxford is a well known brand of stationary in the UK. Growing up, it was basically the standard at school, and whilst it’s not known for catering to trends, it does have a reputation for decent quality at a decent price. When I saw this red Black n’ Red A5 journal on Amazon, I took…
Wing Sung 698 Piston-Filler Fountain Pen Review
I absolutely love snapping up budget pens in the under $25 range because they universally have at least one feature that is super impressive, while having so many downsides that are so easily avoided, I almost stagger back from the stupidity of it all. Why would I love this? I genuinely prefer penning reviews where…
Some Thoughts About Reviewing Shinies
This will come as a shock to you folks, but I rarely read other people’s fountain pen reviews. The formatting most reviewers seem to strive for is one of professional consistency, which I always found quite jarring, as it’s hardly pertinent to the why of the purchase. Humans: We buy pens cos they real pretty….
ASA Nauka Brushed Ebonite Fountain Pen Review
Before we dig into this review, I should mention that I have owned quite a few Indian fountain pens in the past and have always been left feeling a smidgen indifferent towards them. The price is generally excellent and the fit & finish is usually… okay, but they were never particularly exciting. Just polished ebonite…
Jinhao 992 Super-Boring Budget Fountain Pen Review
The Jinhao 992 pen is more or less everywhere these days, and frankly, for good reason. I know there has been some controversy with cracking in the past, but in my experience this is a rock solid pen. Admittedly, I do have one of the later versions, so the first gen ones may be significantly…
Final Update: J. Herbin 1670 Stormy Grey Ink – What’s The Damage?
Alright folks, sorry about the delay. I know I said I would wrap up this up pronto, but my amateurish attempt at an experiment took longer than I expected. I simply own too many fountain pens and thus, I was distracted and forgot about the whole damn thing. My bad. And I am lazy. Also…
Waterman Hemisphere Fountain Pen Review
I have had the photographs for this review ready to go since May, but I found myself floundering around like an idiot because my appreciation for this fountain pen is entirely based on feeling. On the surface of it, the Waterman Hemisphere is a pretty basic pen. In light of all the inexpensive goodness coming…
G. Lalo Toile Imperiale Laid Paper Review
The world of fountain pens and its disciples is contrarian in nature. I know many people who spend in excess of $1000 on a single pen, and yet balk at spending more than $20 on paper. Similarly, I noticed a trend of looking for value in inks while simultaneously ignoring an utter lack of value…
J. Herbin 1670 Stormy Grey + Pilot Penmanship + Time = ?
The biggest problem with having so many fountain pens is that when I endeavour to test a combination it takes literally months for me to work through. I reviewed the J. Herbin Stormy Grey a while back and promised to keep you updated on the impact of those shiny gold flakes with regards to what…
Hero 366 Fountain Pen Review (Spoiler: It Sucks)
I have been slacking with my review output recently and whilst I shan’t make excuses, the reality is that it’s all Platinum’s fault and not mine. I have been rocking the same pen over the past month and have had very little inclination to change it up. It’s a weird hobby, scribbling. I have so…
The “Jap” No. 2 Fountain Pen Identification? Update – Identified!
Update: Thanks to Leigh Reyes and David Nishimura, I have the following information; “English Syringe-filler with a cap from a Japanese pen. First decade or two 20th century. Made for retail by W H Smith” – Alright folks, before we get into this weird pen I received in the mail today, I would like to…
De La Rue / Onoto “The Koala Pen” Fountain Pen Review
De La Rue is a legendary British (former) manufacturer of ink dispensing tools, famed for its Onoto (the original plunger-filler). It’s a pretty damn common sight amongst various auction sites and thrift stores in the UK. I purchased “The Koala Pen” in pretty shoddy condition and fully serviced it, so bare that in mind with…
A Moleskine With Better Paper: Leuchtturm1917 A6 Notebook Review
When you consider something in the Leuchtturm1917 lineup, like their A6 Notebook, it’s super easy to point a finger at the company and say they are just Moleskine copycats with superior paper for inky fiends, but frankly, seeing as Moleskine didn’t invent the Moleskine notebook – I don’t think the fact that they’re a great deal…