It took a bit of time to get it all uploaded and updated but I wanted to share our new products that we shared at the San Francisco Pen Show. First, we launched three new notecards ($3 each) from vintage advertising cuts that were on loan to us from John Hinkle. John collects vintage ink bottles so the cuts are mostly ink bottles (and a cat!) but we framed the cuts with borders.
I also added some NOS Hunt Mapping Pens in the store. We haven’t had a lot of vintage merchandise in the shop recently but I scored a good stash of these and I’d like to share these with you all. These mapping pens are still sold today but made of less interesting plastics so these are worth getting for the lovely marbled material as each one is unique. Each box has at least a dozen nibs. Be sure to anneal the nibs before using them so they hold ink but don’t melt the plastic holder. (I recommend holding the nib with a pair of pliers to anneal it.)
One of our other new products is our laser-etched flasks ($20 each). Be prepared for your next pen event with your favorite spirits. There are two versions: the G&T and the Whiskey versions (with or without text, in silver or black). Thanks to our good friends at Vanness who did the laser-etching for us, I did the illustrations for these and are able to offer these unique flasks to the pen community.
We have also restocked stationery, stamps, typewriter tins and more! Come by and check out what we’ve got!
Hi Ana, you are not good for my budget. About the Hunt Mapping Pens: are any of the nibs italic or stub?
The flasks look so cool.
I was at the Midwest Tea Festival today, and spent probably too much, but tea could go in a flask. There was a ceramics maker with pink hair, so I thought of you. And she lives in midtown! Pi Ceramics is the name for their products.
See you at the Pelikan Hub.
The nibs that ship with the mapping pens are standard pointed flex points but any art supply shop may have other options available. Since these nibs are literally about $1 each you can certainly sand them down on micromesh to a different angle if you want. Hunt map nibs are available at your local Blick, or other art supply store for about $1 each. Go crazy!
I just ordered a set of the Hunt Map Pens! Can you go into a little more detail about annealing? I got the “use pliers to hold the nib, don’t put it in the nib holder yet” but do you hold it over an open flame like a propane lighter? And for how may seconds? Thanks – I’m going to enjoy practicing flex AND using them to sample inks. I have a glass pen but am always sure I’m going to drop it.
Any flame will work. Candle, match or lighter. Just hold the nib until it blackens slightly then dip it in water to hear the “tsk!” sound and then wipe off any char. This process removes any oil that was applied by the manufacturer to keep the nib from rusting but it also keep the ink from adhering to the nib. Annealing it removes the oil.
Thank you!