The Well-Appointed Desk

I’m not quite sure why I got bitten by the Kaweco x Hello Kitty AL Sport Limited Edition bug ($158 at Pen & Tool). It was most likely FOMO, but this one was so well done!

This version is a frosted cherry blossom color (“Sakura Pink”), with gold hardware. The nib has an imprint of Hello Kitty’s face and the barrel has both logos and Hello Kitty’s bow. Add a gold clip and this is a sweet little pen.

The pen arrived with a blue cartridge, but I’ve ordered a converter so I can fill it with what I feel like is the perfect complementary pink: KWZ Raspberry.

The limited edition is still available so if this one appeals to you, don’t miss out!

Disclaimer: This pen was purchased with my own funds and all reviews and opinions are my own.

In Pen Review

Pen Review: Sakura Ballsign Knock Gel Pen (0.6 mm 5-Color Metallic Set)

AnaFebruary 22, 2021February 22, 2021Leave a comment

Of all the gel pens currently available, the Sakura Ballsign Knock gel pens are not frequently mentioned. However, there is no good reason that these pens are not mentioned more frequently. Pentel, Uni, and Pilot are all regularly discussed but Sakura is only mentioned in regards to their Gelly Roll collection. So, let me remind you about the Sakura Ballsign pens. They are Knock-style gel pens with a slightly bulbous grip area and tapers to the short military clip and knock.

They are simple, transparent gel pens and they are reasonably priced. Sure, they are a little silly looking but aren’t we all?

This 5-color set of metallic gel pens ($12.50) was of particular interest to me. Most metallic gel pens are wider than their non-metallic brethren, starting at 0.75mm or larger. The Sakura Ballsign Metallic gel pens start at 0.6mm. Metallic gel pens can often take a bit longer to dry so the finer the tip, for this lefty, the better. The colors in the set are standard but a good variety for metallics: gold, silver, pink, blue and green.

On white paper, the metallic quality of the inks is not particularly noticeable in photos but is more visible in person. The silver gel pen is a bit light on white paper. However, the great thing about metallic gel pens is that they are often somewhat opaque and work really well on dark papers.

On black paper, the silver really pops and all the other colors are equally vivid.

The writing quality of the Ballsign pens write well and are smooth and the knock is easy to use. The price is very reasonable. If you like a little bling in your daily doodles or writing, it would be hard to pass these up. And if you haven’t diverged from the more popular gel pen brands, its time to consider the Sakura Ballsign Knock pens.

Tools:

Paper: Rhodia Uni-Blank No. 16 with 6mm guide sheet and French Kraft-Tone 8.5×11 (pack of 50) ($10.50)
Pens: Sakura Ballsign Metallic Knock Gel Pens 0.6mm (set of 5) ($12.50)

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

In Pencil Review

Pencil Review: Caran d’Ache Klein Blue 2mm Fixpencil

AnaFebruary 19, 2021February 15, 2021Leave a comment

Review by Tina Koyama

Once I grabbed onto the Caran d’Ache Klein Blue Maxi pencil, the slope became slippery. I had already had my eye on the Klein Blue Fixpencil ($52), which I had resisted for a while . . . until I realized that it came with Klein Blue leads! And the leads are water-soluble! I could resist no longer.

The limited edition 2mm Fixpencil comes in a metal gift box in the expected “infinite ultramarine blue” that Klein is known for. The lid is emblazoned with the Caran d’Ache logo and the artist’s signature.

Inside the box is the Fixpencil and a tube containing one graphite lead and three Klein Blue leads.

If you read my review of the “junior” Caran d’Ache Fixpencil 884, all my remarks there hold true for the Klein Blue version. The body has the same sleek, comfortable design. The only differences I can see are that the luscious Klein Blue finish is matte instead of glossy, and the grip is without the subtle texture of the standard 884. And of course, Klein’s signature graces one facet of the pencil.

The graphite lead is also the same as the one that came with my standard Fixpencil. An HB grade, it is pleasantly smooth graphite that I enjoy writing and drawing with. But – let’s get to the main attraction (for me): I immediately plopped one of the Klein Blue leads in and got out a Stillman & Birn Beta sketchbook (which has paper that would adequately enable me to see the lead’s water-soluble properties) and a waterbrush.

After being dazzled by the pencil’s body and even the box, I was somewhat underwhelmed by the pigment’s intensity. I had to work pretty hard to get the degree of color you see in the sketch above. Even as I was sketching, I was thinking of Caran d’Ache’s standard 2mm colored leads, which are very soft and highly pigmented for clutch leads. When compared to the standard blue lead below (swatches made in Col-o-Ring Oversize), Klein Blue is a bit pale.

Still, I’m thrilled by the limited-edition Fixpencil itself, which seems to be growing scarcer by the minute. I’m glad I grabbed one when I did.

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by Pen Chalet for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

Tina Koyama is an urban sketcher in Seattle. Her blog is Fueled by Clouds & Coffee, and you can follow her on Instagram as Miatagrrl.

In Link Love

Link Love: A Moment…

AnaFebruary 17, 2021February 17, 20213 Comments

This week, under our blanket of snow and frozen temps, leaves me feeling a little melancholy. Being isolated at home and cold and grey… this whole pandemic is definitely taking its toll.

If like me, you need something to lift your spirits, check out the comparison review from Parka Blogs comparing Crayola Crayons to Caran d’Ache Neocolors — similar but wildly different. This week, our animal of choice is dogs! And these darlings are decked out in floral crowns. A must see to put a smile on your face. Mountain of Ink does a quick rundown of her love and hate inks which is also a delight. Hopefully, this little post brightens your cold, grey day.

We need each other. Please support our sponsors and affiliates. Your patronage will let them know you appreciate their support of the pen community. Without them, and without you, we could not continue to do what we do. Thank you!

In Fountain Pen Review

Fountain Pen Review: Venvstas Carbon-T Fountain pen

Laura CameronFebruary 16, 2021February 17, 20216 Comments

I’m always interested in modern pens, so when the chance came up to review the Venvstas Carbon-T Fountain Pen (€123.14 or $149 from Appelboom), I took it!

Venvstas is manufactured in Italy and their Carbon Collection is made up of several instruments designed in “a consistent minimal approach… [in] materials, function and details.” Indeed the sleek carbon body hides a piston system in a way I hadn’t seen before!

The pen is made up of carbon and steel and boasts a titanium nib. Nibs are available in fine, medium and broad. I received a broad for review and it was nice and juicy, laying down a satisfying amount of ink.

Left to right: Caran d’Ache 849, TWSBI Eco, Venvstas, Platinum 3776, Carolina Pen Company Charleston

Then pen weighs in at 24g and is longer than most of my other pens coming in at 155mm or 6 1/8″ with the cap on. Even with the cap off, the pen is still long, owing to the piston. The body is a consistent circumference of approximately 40mm/1.5.” There is a small step down near the nib, but not enough of a section to hold it there. I did find that my small hand found it a bit wide for my liking. The cap defined as a “snap on” although I would say there’s no real snap there. It does fit fairly snugly.

To fill the pen with ink, simply pull off the back of the pen to reveal the piston.

I did enjoy writing with this pen. The nib, as I said, was really smooth and wrote nicely, laying down a decent amount of ink. It would be a great pen for your sheening or shading inks since you can get a lot of ink down on the page. My only major complaint about the pen is that the nib dried out super quickly. I filled it up with ink last week and used it on and off. When I went to use it again today it was COMPLETELY bone dry. I had to walk to the sink and let the nib run under water for a few seconds to get any ink out of it and then it still took a bit to start reliably. I do have a few ideas on why this is. First of all, I am living in the Midwest in record cold temperatures and running the heat constantly so the air in my house is very, very dry. That said, I don’t feel that the materials allow for an optimal seal on the cap and I do think that contributed to the nib drying out. If I’m being honest, the dry nib alone is a bit of a deal breaker for me. No matter how much I love writing with a pen, I feel like constantly having a dry start would annoy me over time.

However, that’s really my only complaint about the pen (the width wouldn’t be an issue if my hands weren’t small and I think many writers wouldn’t even notice it.) So if you’re willing to risk a dry nib sometimes, test this one out and see if it’s a good fit for you!

Papers: Write Notespads Dot Grid Steno Pad ($14)
Pen: Venvstas Carbon-T Fountain Pen (€123.14 or $149 from Appelboom)
Ink: Robert Oster Crushed Velvet (50ml for $17)

DISCLAIMER: Some of the items included in this review were provided to us free of charge for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

In Pen Review

Pen Review: Ohto Rays Flash Dry Gel Pen (0.5 mm Olive Body)

AnaFebruary 15, 2021February 15, 20212 Comments

I’ve been binging on the TV series Endeavour on Amazon Prime the last few weeks and I immediately noticed that Inspector Morse continually uses a Parker Jotter to make notes in his not-entirely-period-accurate pocket Moleskine. Regardless of the slight period inaccuracies, I was getting itchy to use a classic Parker-style Jotter. Along comes the Ohto Rays Flash Gel Pen in period appropriate avocado green with a 0.5mm gel refill. For the extremely reasonable price of $3.90.

To get a taste of the vibe of 1960s Oxford, check out the set decorator Anita Gupta’s photos of the sets. See the appeal?

The Ohto Rays Flash Dry Gel Pen features a metal knock, clip and end section and a plastic body.

The ink delivers on its promise to be quick drying, even on slick, smooth Rhodia paper (A4 blank pad, $13.75) and creates fine lines that work with my tiny handwriting.

Compared with an actual Parker Jotter, the Ohto Rays is a bit longer in its overall design. The tip of the pen is strengthened with a metal cap.

Inside, you’ll see that the Ohto Flash Dry refill is a standard Parker-style refill. So, if you already have a Parker Jotter or another knock pen that uses a standard Parker-style refill, you could always just invest in this sweet gel refill ($1.90).

Either option is a no-brainer. No matter how much we love fountain pens around here, sometimes you need a ballpoint or gel pen and this is a great option.

DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this review were provided free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review. This review also includes affiliate links. The Well-Appointed Desk is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. Please see the About page for more details.

In Pen Review

Kuretake Karappo Empty Brush & Felt Tip Pens (Set of 5)

AnaFebruary 12, 2021February 15, 202117 Comments

When the Kuretake Karappo Empty Brush Pens (Set of 5 for $17.50) and Felt Tip Pens (set of 5 for $15) first arrived on JetPens, Jesi, Jaclyn and I pretty much hoarded the entire inventory and then argued about who was going to write the review about them. I believe Jesi and Jaclyn got the Kuretake Ink-Cafe Set that included the empty pens and a set of inks that will allow you to mix your own ink colors. Because we need more ink colors like we need a whole in our heads, right? So, look forward to either Jaclyn or Jesi writing up a review of their ink mixing experiments in the near future.

I purchased the pens because I wanted a chance to find new and different ways to use my fountain pen inks. Would these Karappo pens work with sheening inks? Would they work with shimmer inks? I needed answers to these questions!

I also wanted to experiment with the difference between the brush pen and the 0.4mm fine pen.

First, I wanted to know how long it took to fill the pen? Answer? About one minute with regular fountain pen ink. I did not use any special tools. I just dropped the cotton-y looking inserts into a bottle on ink and watched as they wicked up the ink.

I filled two of the “fine” 0.4mm on the left and three of the “fine” brush pens on the right.

I tested a sheening ink — Diamine Skull & Roses in one of the 0.4mm fine tipped pens and the sheening qualities of the ink are still visible. The advantage, for me, of theses pens over other pens which accept fountain pen ink is that they are fiber-tipped rather than rollerball. As a lefty, I tend to choke rollerball pens or I don’t hold them at quite the right angle to get them to write. With the fine 0.4mm and brush tip Karappo pens, I had no issues with ink flow!

The other fine tipped pen was filled with a delicate grey ink: Colorverse Matter. All the shading properties remained! I like how the 0.4mm pens write. They are very similar to the width of a Sharpie Pen, IMHO.

The brush pens were not super flexible or brushy but just gave a nice bit of line variation and would be perfectly acceptable for embellishing the titles or headers in a notebook or addressing an envelope. Since I tend to buy a lot of very light inks and very fine nibbed fountain pens that do not show the inks to their best result, these pens are a great opportunity to give some of the paler inks a second life.

My last experiment was to put Pen BBS #111 (a shimmer ink) into one of the Karappo brush pens. While the color looks amazing, none of the shimmer is evident. I don’t think the material was able to absorb any of the shimmer particles. So… that answers that question.

Each package of pens comes with a set of stickers to mark with the color of ink in your pens and attach to the cap. (Please ignore my winter parched hands.)

Of all the fountain pen ink-fillable pens available, the Kuretake Karappo Brush and Fine Pens are by far my favorites even if shimmer inks don’t shimmer. Now to decide what inks to put in the other empty pens…

Tools:

Paper: Col-o-ring Folio (available soon)
Pens: Kuretake Karappo Empty Brush Pen – Fine (Pack of 5 for $17.50), Kuretake Karappo Empty Felt Tip Pen 0.4mm Fine (Pack of 5 for $15.00)
Ink: Diamine Skull & Roses (currently unavailable), Colorverse Matter ($30 for set), Tono & Lims True Story Hyogo ($22 for 30ml bottle), Robert Oster Sydney Lavender($17 for 50ml bottle) and Pen BBS #111 (no longer available).

DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this review were provided free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

Tools:

Pens:

Ink:

Pencils:

Notebooks & Paper:

Art & Creativity:

Other Interesting Things:

Tools: