Hi there, I was gifted a pen in 2017 which is personalised with my name as I was working as a TA. It needs a refill now (I didn’t use it much) but the refill I bought doesn’t fit properly. It takes a Parker style refill but made of white plastic. I’ve measured it and it’s approx 8.5cm long, with a fat body and tapered tip where the spring would sit. And advice on what sort of refill I actually need would be great. I have pictures of the refill which I can attach to another email if this would help. Kind regards
Refillfinder.com features a Size Guide section that shows a picture of a particular refill along with the length measurements. I didn’t see one that was the same length that you described but since I’m not looking at the refill, maybe there was a modification made to a refill (like the plastic insert on the end was removed)?
The Fisher Space Pen Refill looks closest in length. It’s essentially a regular Parker-style refill but without the plastic fins on the end. It will sometimes ship in a blister pack with removable plastic cap to fit the refill into standard sized pens. Do you think that might work?
Aimme asks:
I am wondering about what kinds of waterproof inks would be best for watercolour art? So I wanted to sketch with a waterproof/resistant ink and then paint over it with watercolours. Any suggestions would be great! Wishing you all a very happy New Year! -Blessings, Aimme
For water resistant inks for watercolor, I recommend Platinum Carbon Black ($22.50 for 60ml bottle). I did all of my Inktober one year using it plus grey watercolor brush and can attest to its waterproofiness. Some people prefer Sailor Kiwa Guro Nano Black ($21.33 for 50ml) but the reviews I’ve seen don’t seem to be as waterproof as PCB (that’s Platinum Carbon Black, not Panama City Beach, FYI). I’ve never had issues with PCB clogging my pen. A quick dip in water or a wipe on a wet towel, even after sitting for months, was enough to get it going again.
I also did a test of a few various waterproof inks awhile back. You can also search the site for “waterproof” as there have been several other inks tested by Jesi and Tina as well.
Frederick asks:
Does another gel refill, other than Monteverde, exist for the somewhat unique Montblanc ballpoint format?
Unfortunately, Montblanc has designed their ballpoint pens and refills in such a way that they are proprietary. For drop-in ease, the Monteverde or Montblanc refills have been your only options. I found a listing on Amazon for a new refill that is “Montblanc compatible”, The Jaymo Montblanc Compatible Ballpoint Refill. I have not tested it nor do I know anything about it but this gives you another option to try.
My last option for you is to purchase a 3D printed adapter from Tofty. He has several available for Montblanc ballpoints:
Two years ago, the San Francisco Pen Show was rocked by the arrival of Yamamoto Paper and their Paper Tasting packets. The creators came across the ocean from Japan to share some of the many unique and different papers with western paper fiends.
These cellophane jewels each contain a stack of B7, A6 and B6 paper. Yamamoto organizes the paper tasting sets by color and includes a reference sheet that provides information about the paper included. The details are written in Japanese and English.
The information sheet also has a key indicating how suitable each paper might be for dip pen, fountain pen, ball point, gel and pencil. I think the circles mean the paper is good for the specific tool and the black triangle means it is not so good. Occasionally there is an X- mark which maybe means it’s okay? Or your mileage may vary? However you look at it, I appreciate that some effort has been made to at least try to provide some information in advance.
Each stack is held together with a bright silver bulldog clip. There are lots of sheets in each set, maybe 25?
Obviously, if you’re looking for writing paper, the black set will be most suitable for opaque gel pens and acrylic and metallic dip pen inks.
In the back of each packet, is one of two possible guides about Japanese paper. One provides details about the “hierarchy of paper” from newsprint and toilet paper to fine art paper.
The other guide provides details about how paper is printed.
The sets that are likely to be the most appealing to fountain pen enthusiasts are the Egg shell Vol. 1 and Silky Vol. 1. Both contain white and warm white/ivory stocks that are most common for writing. The largest B6 sheets are appropriate for letter writing and the smaller sheets would work well for notes. The Silky set includes a paper called Marshmallow which I fell in love with when I tried it in San Fransisco.
I feel terrible that I have done nothing but covet this paper for over two years. The colored paper sets are beautiful. The craft, translucent and egg shell sets beg to be written on and touched. This week I was finally inspired with ideas on how to utilize these papers to their fullest. My first idea came from a collage artist, Katie Licht, who I love. I plan to use some of these papers to create simple collages in my journals and art books.
Second, I plan to bind some of the larger sheets into a book so that I can use them. Last year, I made several books filled with mixed papers and being able to use these fountain pen-friendly papers would be amazing. I like using vintage found book covers so that will be my first challenge. Below are pictures pictures of some of the books I created last year.
The good news is that the Yamamoto Paper Tasting sets are now available through Shigure Inks in the US. Each Set is $10.80 each. Or you can purchase directly from Yamamoto Paper on Etsy.
Last week I presented a post featuring an overview of the Taccia Lip color ink collection, rather than focusing on a single ink in the line. Since several new ink collections have come out recently, I decided to again present an overview – let me know if you enjoy this type of post!
This week I am focused on the new Manyo collection made by Sailor. This is an ink manufacturer that seems to put out a new ink almost daily, especially store-exclusive inks for small stores in Japan. Their Sailor Studio inks are so popular that certain colors are still very difficult to find in stock.
However, the Sailor Studio inks were surprisingly small (20mL). That makes this newest line up even nicer – large 50mL bottles ($21.33 for 50mL at Pen Chalet).
These Manyo inks are surprisingly large compared to the Sailor Studio bottles – 2.5 times as large. That’s not where the similarities end, though. Two of the Manyo inks (Haha and Nekoyanagi) have been compared to Sailor Studio 162 and 123 (two of the more popular colors). I found these colors to be similar and to demonstrate similar multi-chromatic characteristics, but not similar enough to choose one over the other.
Other Manyo inks remind me of Sailor Studio colors – Akebi and Sailor Studio 653 are similar although Akebi is brighter. I love the brightness of Yamabuki.
Nekoyanagi is the first Manyo ink that I knew I had to get. However, Yomagi has been my favorite to use for taking class notes. It shades beautifully and has mid-level red sheen.
Kikyou has an understated sheen – not shiny, though. The sheen presents more as a secondary color than a shine. Sumire is a beautiful cerulean blue with a hint of sheen as well.
Kuzu is another ink that has a muted sheen. Haha is the best name ever for an ink. The halo color is a greenish teal – a color that is all around difficult to describe.
Here’s a big family photo of the Manyo inks!
As I stated above, Haha is a very difficult ink to compare and to show. It does have many of the same properties of Sailor Studio 162, but the halo colors remind me more of Sailor Studio 264. Shading is in line with Papier Plume Lake Michigan Winter, but the purple is close to Vinta Maskera (the photo two below).
Manyo Nekoyanagi is closely related to Haha, but less confused. Nekoyanagi is very close to Vinta Maskeraand Ya Ching Eternal Love, but it contains quite a bit of teal in the undertones. The teal does show as a halo in some writing.
Manyo Akebi is a beautiful bright purple-ish pink with a huge amount of muted sheen. The sheen moved between greenish-gold and dark brown and is very present in all writing. The underlying bright color is almost surprising when it peaks out.
Manyo Yomagi is a favorite of mine for writing. it moves from dark to light quickly and has a bit of a red sheen. I’ve been writing with it for three weeks now and I love it.
Manyo Kikyou is a close match to Monteverde Blue Velvet Cake but the sheen is very muted. A great work-safe blue-black.
Sumire is not quitet as bright at ColorVerse Supernova, but a deeper color than Pelikan Edelstein Topaz. The shading is beautiful.
Manyo Kuzu is close to Akebi is writing, but the color underneath is burgundy rather than a purple-ish pink. The muted sheen is gold-brown.
Yamabuki is a highly shading orangish-yellowthat reminds me of Diamine Amber butt the darker portions (and in writing) looks more like Diamine Marigold.
All of the Manyo inks are on the wet side of normal (only slightly) and behave like other Sailor inks I have encountered – easy to use, beautiful colors and shading, not water-resistant, no feathering or bleeding on fountain pen friendly paper. I am very happy that I own the whole set now! I’m also thrilled with the larger bottle size. One of the best differences between the Sailor Studio inks and the Manyo inks – Manyo inks are much easier to obtain in the US!
DISCLAIMER: Some of the inks used in this review were purchased by me, while others were provided for the purpose of this review. Please see the About page for more details.
In the past, links have coalesced into a sort of hive mind of the pen community. Sometimes this hive behavior is due to the release of a new product but, sometimes it seems more random. This week, the feed seemed filled with a collection of posts single-handedly targeted for my particular needs right now.
If you have heard the news this week, employment at my day job is on shaky ground. I won’t know how it will all shake out until mid-February. So posts like 50 Creative Companies to Work For in 2020 down in Other Interesting Things is definitely getting bookmarked… just in case.
But to bolster my spirits, and yours, in the bleakness of winter, the blog reader gods also gave us some gems. The Art & Creativity section is chock full of inspiration so if one of your goals for 2020 is to draw, paint or make more, than maybe this will inspire you.
In Pens, Susan over at The Pen Addict evaluated her pen collection which is something I’ve been considering for some time. Have you ever done this? I think I would be shocked and appalled if I ever did the Marie Kondo “dump all my pens on the bed” method like she recommends with clothes.
In Pencils, Jet Pens Blog pulled together their recommendations for best pencils which is timely since my internal pendulum has swung back to pencils recently.
There was also a secret peek into what I love when I’m not obsessing over pens… Bernadette Banner! Bernadette is an Edwardian-inspired fashion costumer and everyday wearer of antique style clothes. And she’s not alone! As a result of watching her YouTube channel I’ve found a bunch of other people making period clothing on Instagram. She was featured on Hyperallergenic this week but I am a follower of hers on YouTube.
Finally, I love the browser extension that helps to choose the library over Amazon. My house is chock full of books and, should I find myself considerably more cash poor, checking books our from the library, either virtually or manually, is a much better alternative.
While I wish kismet was all happiness, these grains of advice, direction and inspiration feel like something, however small, to take us all on the journey that will be 2020.
One of the best gifts that I received for the holidays was a lovely little custom wax seal stamp from Stampitude ($35-46). My husband saw an ad on Facebook (those really work!) and decided to have one made with my logo. He presented it to me a few days before the holidays as “just a little something I got you.” I was charmed and I’m having fun melting wax and sealing things!
I have been meaning to write a review about this pencil for almost a year. I don’t entirely know why I’ve waited so long to actually put pencil to paper and write the review though. It’s not as if I was torn in my opinion about its performance. The Penco Prime Timber 2.0 by Hightide ($11) is the picture of simplicity. Its a soft, hex-shaped, woodcased mechanical pencil with a metal knock and conical end to facilitate the click mechanism. The advantage of this design is that it maintains the warmth of a woodcased pencil with the ease and convenience of a mechanical pencil.
Like a good pencil, the Prime Timber appears to be dip painted in two-tone gloss enamel and then stamped with branding info in black. I’ve used my Prime Timber long enough that some of the stamping is starting to wear away.
The only complaint I would have about Prime Timber is the join between the wood and the conical tip is not as smooth as it could be. Of course, it’s a mechanical pencil selling for about $10 so all other elements being equal, when in use, I don’t notice the transition any more than I notice the threads of a fountain pen so my issue is more aesthetic than in actual use.
I was excited to acquire this pencil specifically because I like using red and non-photo blue drawing leads and they are easier to find in 2mm size these days. The 2mm leads are a bit more robust than smaller 0.5 or 0.7mm sized leads.
The Prime Timber came with a lead pointer which works really well. However, at the time of this review, I was not able to locate it so I used a Faber-Castell Pocket Lead Pointer. Either lead pointer is effective and does not take up too much space in a portable kit. The lead pointer that shipped with the pencil has a cap which keeps any loose material from transferring into your pencil case. The Faber-Castell does not have a cover but it smaller overall.
No reflection on the Prime Timber itself but the red lead I was using does not erase as completely with my trusty Sakura foam eraser as non-photo blue or traditional graphite lead. The advantage of drawing with red lead is that it can be separated out when scanned or photographed into the computer using RGB channel separation. Non-photo blue will not copy on a standard photo copier. Hence the name. And if scanned in black and white, it will not show up. Usually. Non-photo blue can be really light though so red can be easier to see on paper.
As a lefty, there is a secret bonus in using colored leads– they don’t smudge as readily as graphite. I can reap all the same benefits of graphite with colored pencil lead without the telltale smudge on the heel of my hand.
Generally speaking, I prefer using pencils on paper with a bit more tooth like Baron Fig, Leuchtturm1917, any sketchbook paper, standard 20# office bond, etc, over Rhodia which is a little too smooth. For consistency’s sake though, I did the writing sample on Rhodia though. It does make for a creamy looking writing sample.
I purchased the Penco Prime Timber 2.0 at Wonder Fair in Lawrence, KS. Similar models can be found online but I highly recommend trekking out to this gem on the prairie if you get a chance. Write Notepads features a fancier brass edition of this pencil for $14. It’s probably a little weightier and would feel a bit more like a drafting pencil as a result.
DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this review were provided free of charge. 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.
I have accumulated a lot of Ask the Desk questions lately so I decided to tackle a few of them in one GREAT BIG post. Please let me know if you have any advice as well. And submit your questions at the tab in bar at the top of the page. Thanks!
Gordon needs some help:
Dear Ana, I am a left-hander who has recently returned to using fountain pens. I have a lovely Franklin-Christoph Model 20p (the smaller EDC version) with a medium stub and, no surprise, have been dealing with the dreaded smudge problem. Before picking up again with fountain pens I’ve been using Doane 8x11pads, whose format I love, but it does smudge. Do you have suggestions for more fountain pen friendly and fast-drying paper and/or small international cartridges that dry fast (I’m partial to blue-black). Thanks so much for you help. Yours, Gordon
Gordon, the lefties at The Desk feel your frustration. Medium stubs are quite wet nibs so you have added to your struggle for dry time. Doane paper is not the worst for dry time overall so let’s start with some unconventional suggestions.
First, I wanted to start with items that could be added to your existing set-up. Rather than having to buy new notebooks or ink, these options might fix your issues.
Vanness White Lightning Ink Additive ($5.95) This additive can improve dry time of ink you already own. I have some tips for using it but a drop or two in 5-10ml of ink can improve flow and dry time. Adding White Lightning will require using a converter and bottled ink since you’ll have to decant your ink but it opens up your color options dramatically.
SmudgeGuard SG1 1-Finger Glove ($14.99) While this isn’t the most aesthetically appealing solution, many artists use a smudgeguard or slide an extra piece of paper under their hand to reduce smudging. Blotter paper works great but an index card make a fine substitution as well.
Paper alternatives:
Since you’re already using a paper not known to be too bad for smudging, I want to remind lefties in general, I recommend avoiding paper like Tomoe River which has longer than normal dry times if you are having smudging issues. I also recommend avoiding Rhodia paper, because it is very smooth, may also suffer from smudge issues. A good alternative may be Leuchtturm1917 which strikes a reasonable balance between dry time and being fountain pen friendly. Baron Fig could be another good option for lefties.
Other ink options:
Finally, there are some inks that have been especially formulated to be “quick drying” but will definitely limit your color options. If you want to pursue this route, look for inks that say “fast dry” on the label. However, utilizing standard inks (non-sheening/non-shimmer) and possibly adding White Lightning mentioned earlier may be all you need. Sheening and shimmer inks will often require longer dry times.
Ed asks:
I love the retro 51 rollerball refill. Do you know what pen bodies will work with it? While I love the Retro 51, sometimes I prefer a capped pen.
For a capped pen that takes the same Schmidt P8126/P8127 that is used in the Retro 51 pens (it’s just custom branded for Retro51) but capped, I recommend Kaweco Sport. It is available in plastics, metal and resin finishes for a variety of price points. All versions accept the P8126/8127 refill.
Most of the Monteverde Rollerball pens accept the Schmidt Short Capless sized refills though they will probably ship with the Monteverde branded version. It is essentially the same refill, just house branded for Monteverde just as the Schmidt refill is rebranded for Retro51.
The Schmidt 888 (plastic tube or the 5888 with metal tube) is the longer version of the same refill. There are a lot of brands that utilize this refill as its considered the standard size for European-style rollerballs. Pen Boutique has a great chart that lists compatible refills for many major brands.
Jeremy asks:
I would love some help in a pen recommendation. I am currently in grad school getting my PhD and find myself writing more than I ever had before. My normal go to for writing utensils has been my Fisher Space Pen Bullet when I want something with ink and a Pentel P205 when I want something with lead. The P205 serves my purposes well and I have no reason to replace that, however the Space Pen is absurdly uncomfortable when I find myself writing for days on end. Any recommendations for a pen under the $50 mark, the cheaper the better, that would be comfortable for extended periods of time when I write? Cheers!
Several years ago, I wrote a post for my Top 5 Pens under $30. I can’t say that my top choices have changed dramatically. Adding an extra $20 to the budget doesn’t necessarily alter things too dramatically but let me give it another glance.
If you are planning to use a rollerball, gel or ballpoint pen, and since you are using more slender pens and pencils in general, here are my best recommendations:
Caran d’Ache 849 (ballpoint starting at $19.95) This pen is similar in size and width to your favorite pencil. Its available in many colors and finishes and is a classic, just like your Pentel.
Retro 51 Tornado in Classic Lacquers (starting at $21) The Retro 51 is a classic as well, takes a favorite rollerball refill or a standard Parker-style ballpoint refill and is available in a ton of standard colors. Its slightly wider width may be more comfortable for longer writing sessions. Just be careful about carrying this pen in your pocket as the liquid refill may leak. For a capped alternative, see may recommendation to Ed in this post.
Lamy 2000 Multi Pen (€61.98) This pen goes slightly over your budget but contains four colors and is one of the most iconic pens available. It also allows for color changes as if by magic — just turn the pen so the color of your choice is facing up and depress the knock.
Refill Questions:
Chris asks:
I need a refill for an Anson Pen, I think it might be a 360?
I ended up learning a bit about the Anson Company in trying to locate a refill for this pen. If the pen is a ballpoint, it will most likely take a standard “stick refill” or a Cross threaded ballpoint refill like you might find at any big box office supply store (I found this photo below in an Ebay listing).
If the pen takes a nylon tip refill, a Waterman fibertip might fit. I’m guessing here based on the shape alone as I am not sure on the length required. While a slightly different shape, the Schmidt 6040 fineliner (or one of the many versions that are branded for Monteverde, Faber-Castell, et al) may be easier to acquire. The pen would also accept a Schmidt rollerball refill if the fineliner fit as well.
If you’re lucky enough to be near a brick and mortar pen store or a pen show, I recommend taking the pen there and trying out a few refills to find the perfect fit.
Gayle asks about other refills:
I want to put other colors in my Uni Jetstream 4+1 pen, other than black, blue, red, and green. Which refills designed for similar multi-pens will fit the Jetstream 4+1? If I understood your multi-pen FAQ video correctly, the Zebra Sarasa pre-fills are too short for the Jetstream 4+1, is that correct? Looking forward to your response!
Gayle, I don’t think I made a multi-pen FAQ video but now maybe I will. That said, let’s see which refills you can put in your Uni Jetstream 4+1 besides the standard blue, black, red and green.
Pictured here are options for the Jetstream 2+1 pen. Shown are the Uni Signo (Uni Style Fit) refills, both trimmed and whole; Frixion slim refills, with and without the end caps; Pilot Coleto refill without end cap but before trim; and standard Jetstream refills.
If you’re willing to apply a little hacking, the Uni Signo UMR refills (these are the Style Fit multi-pen refills) will fit. It just requires trimming a bit of the plastic off the end. The same with the Pilot Coleto refills. With the Coleto refills, you need to remove the plastic caps from the end, then trim to the proper length. Frixion multi pen refills will also fit but the little cap on the end will need to be removed and the refill trimmed to the proper length. These can all be trimmed with a sharp pair of household scissors, an x-acto knife or a pocket knife easily.
Lorraine has a refill issue too:
I have an old dual pen desk set from my grandfather that I would love to get working again. The refills are giving me trouble finding. It’s an old basic coppers colored spring load style. Kinda looks like one of those snap to size types. I can send a photo. What I’m really wanting to know is, is there a rollerball or gel or gel/hybrid that will work so the pens will be enjoyable to use? I don’t mind buying a few to try, but I’d love to get the search narrowed down. Thanks!! p.s. love listening to you on The Pen Addict!
Thanks, Lorraine. While I don’t have a copper version of this refill that you mentioned, I think it probably looks something like this:
Trying to find a non-oily ballpoint option is near impossible. The closest I found was a Pilot Dr. Grip which looked close. You’d probably have to save the spring from a previous refill to make it work however. While still ballpoint ink, its probably much better than the cheap oily ballpoint ink originally sold in the refills. The Uni Jetsream SXR refill might also work and is the best ballpoint refill. It might also require a little tweaking but it could be a contender. Wish I could have been more help. Readers, if you have any better suggestions, please leave them in the comments!
drawing leads and they are easier to find in 2mm size these days. The 2mm leads are a bit more robust than smaller 0.5 or 0.7mm sized leads.
. Either lead pointer is effective and does not take up too much space in a portable kit. The lead pointer that shipped with the pencil has a cap which keeps any loose material from transferring into your pencil case. The Faber-Castell does not have a cover but it smaller overall.
