The Well-Appointed Desk

This review covers Sailor Studio 130 ($18 for 20mL at Dromgoole’s). In the Sailor Studio lineup, the first number indicates the saturation level of the ink. Even though this ink is the lowest saturation level of the group, I had no problem at all reading anything written with it.

At first glance, Sailor Studio 130 looks pure pink and light pink as well.

I was a bit concerned that 130 would be difficult to read since it was such a light pink (visions of Montblanc Ladie’s Pink), but opening the bottle, I found quite a bit of orange in the ink as well. The overall color here seemed to be closer to coral than to pink. A bit of yellow seems to be present as well.

In the swatch, Sailor Studio 130 is absolutely legible and on the bright side! The shading is subtle but definitely present and an orangish-yellow halo on the edges of the heavier ink pools.

I was surprised to find how red Studio 130 is as I compared it to other inks. 130 is close to being a lighter version of Papier Plume Cherry Red (also a delightful ink!). The sheen in Bungubox Lycoris is reminiscent of the yellow halo in Sailor Studio 130.

I decided to skip the usual testing paper of Tomoe River. Instead, I used William Hannah paper for the writing sample. There’s plenty of shading here and the ink is bright enough to be easy to read.

More shading in ordinary writing – print is always better for shading since it allows variations of ink to show in each letter.

And, of course, a big swatch of ink – look at the beautiful shading here! The yellow didn’t show up as much as I had hoped.

So of course, I actually did have to include a swatch on Tomoe River paper. The orange and yellow did not disappoint me here. My ink here seemed to be staring back at me as well… I love the shading here as well. If you are a fan of shading over sheen, you need to check out some of the lower numbered (100, 200, 300 range) Sailor Studio inks.

If you have ever tried to purchase Sailor Studio inks, you know how tough it can be to find a store selling it, pay for the shipping and wait for the slow boat to make its way overseas (unless you are lucky enough to live in Japan). Good news! Sailor has recently started allowing sales of these small bottles of sunshine by select retailers in the US. However, Sailor did put a restriction on these sales – orders for Sailor Studio inks can only be taken over the phone. Dromgoole’s was kind enough to provide this bottle of 130 for review and you can find ordering instructions here. The entire staff is great to talk to when ordering and if you order before the Dallas Pen Show, you can pick up your ink at their table – no shipping cost! The Colorado Pen Show is also quickly approaching and Droomgoole’s will be joining the crew this year. Order your Sailor Studio inks now over the phone and have them waiting for you in Denver!

Tools:

Paper: Nanami Seven Seas Writer ($26), William Hannah A5 lined paper (7 pounds or about $8.65 for 50 pages)
Pen: Franklin-Christoph 03 Prototype with a fine italic steel nib ($175)
Ink: Sailor Studio 130 ($18 for 20ml bottle)

DISCLAIMER: The ink included in this review was provided free of charge by Dromgoole’s for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

In Link Love

Link Love: Squirrel Loves Flower

AnaSeptember 25, 2019September 25, 2019Leave a comment

This week, I had a hard time deciding which category to put a lot of these links. There are some in Arts & Creativity that, even if you think you’re not interested in a lot of “those” links might be worth clicking this week like the Eames spinning tops video or the hand-drawn illustrations of the US economy. In Other Interesting Things, a knitter talks about sustainable packaging and, while you might not be a knitter, you probably order products online so some of what she talks about is relevant to so many online products from packing materials to the endless clear plastic bags that every item is wrapped in.

There’s also book, Lego, Louis Vuitton and bees. Links are pretty much all over the place this week.

Then there’s the PenThing Ink Swatch Plot Log… should that be filed in Ink or Paper and Notebooks? In Pencils, there’s a fabulous video on how pencils are made. Who doesn’t love a “how its made” video?

There’s a few reports from Pelikan Hubs around the world too. And it feels like everyone is reveling in the last of summer and preparing for fall and winter. There is planner planning in spades and squirrels taking a moment to enjoy the flowers.

Eye Candy: Col-o-ring OVERSIZE

Laura CameronSeptember 24, 2019September 24, 20195 Comments

If you’re like me (you have zero sketching talent but HAD to have a Col-o-ring “Oversize” for your collection) you’ve been wondering what to do with the fabulous large format Col-o-ring!

After seeing a friend’s ink swatch book and discussing it with our fearless leader, I found a purpose for mine!

Pro tip: Don’t spill your cup of water on your workspace!

Happy swatching!

In feature

Notebook Cover Review: Coal Creek Leather Bainbridge A5

AnaSeptember 23, 2019September 23, 20191 Comment

At the San Francisco Pen Show, I had the privilege of meeting the owner and creator of Coal Creek Leather, Ehsaan. It was his first pen show and his first experience with world of fountain pen collectors but he was excited. He also had the table next to Brad (NockCo) so he got the full force of Brad and Myke’s celebrity within the community. By the end of the weekend, he was ready to reach out to the larger pen community and asked both Brad and I to review a few of his leather goods, which by this time since my table was just one row away, we were both totally on board to do.

I arranged to have him send me a Bainbridge A5 ($85) in tan which is an English Bridle leather. The cover is hand stitched around the edges and includes inners sleeves in the front and back cover to keep the notebook in place in the back and to hold the business card pocket, accessory pocket and additional sleeve pocket in front. Depending on which A5 design chosen, the back sleeve has a slit to allow for a a notebook elastic to slide through. This is a great solve since a lot of folks have mentioned that they like being able to reign in their notebooks and any loose papers inside, even if they are using a cover.

Because I put a Nanami Seven Seas notebook with a softcover into the Bainbridge, I tucked both the front and back covers into the sleeve pockets to provide the notebook with strength and stability. It doesn’t have an elastic so I didn’t need to take advantage of the slit in the back for that.

Initially, I was tentative about the Coal Creek Leather covers because there was a lot of dark browns and black on the table. I know that not everyone in the world is a pink-haired walking rainbow, I wasn’t sure that the products that they were selling would necessarily be enticing to a lot of the readers here. But after having the Bainbridge in hand, I can safely say, I had no idea what I was talking about. The cover is exquisitely made. The tan is beautiful. There is not a lot of extraneous details on the cover that I don’t need nor do I wish for more.

The first comparison that popped into my head with the Bainbridge A5 cover was that it reminded me of my favorite Filofax Original planner cover. Obviously there are differences in size, color and functionality but it’s similar in its simplicity. I was hard-pressed to give up the Filofax Original because I like the format so much so maybe that’s why I was so taken with the Bainbridge.

The next comparison is with the Galen Leather A5 Folio. Both the Bainbridge and the Folio are fairly rigid leather as a result of the layers of material and the resulting thickness. The Folio, however, is considerably stiffer due to the zip closure. There may be other elements that add to the stiffness of the Folio but I’m not going to disassemble my Folio to figure them out.

The Folio also has a lot more inner pockets than the Bainbridge. After months of use, I find that I don’t actually use all the pockets and loops in the Folio.

And where the inside of the Bainbridge is leather, the Folio is a felt-like material.

My final comparison is the Curnow Leather A5 cover which was designed to hold multiple, smaller notebooks with elastics like a traveler’s notebook. The Curnows improved upon the Traveler’s Notebook by adding secretary pockets in the front and back covers and stitching around the edges that give the covers a clean finished look.

The Curnow cover is a considerably more flexible leather cover, some might even call it floppy.

The pockets in the Curnow are more spacious than the pockets in the Bainbridge and will hold an A5 sheet easily or lots of smaller ephemera.

After a week of use, I am surprised at how much I love the Bainbridge cover. I didn’t think the pen loop inside the cover would be as effective as it is. I wouldn’t recommend a large pen in it but it works great. I feel better with the pen inside the cover rather than a pen loop along the clasp. Business cards, postcards, and postage stamps fit neatly into the front cover.

The snap on the Bainbridge works better than I expected too. And I was surprised how much I liked the tan finish. I’ve already put some scratches in it and it just makes it look better.

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

In Fashionable Friday

Friday Faves: Tina’s Fall List

AnaSeptember 20, 2019September 8, 20192 Comments

In our second installation of Friday Fave’s, Tina hopped up and submitted her current faves. She’s added more snacks and more pencils to her favorites. Hopefully, you’ll find some good tools, good snacks and good reads to add to your weekend.

Friday Faves: Tina's Fall Faves

Fave reads: Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine: A Novel, by Gail Honeyman and Beginning Drawing Atelier: An Instructional Sketchbook, by Juliette Aristides (an excellent intro to classical drawing methods)
Fave watch: The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
Fave comfort eat: mac & cheese
Fave recently discovered eat: poke bowl (Yes, I know I’m very late to the party, but I’ve always been take-it-or-leave-it about sashimi, so I didn’t think poke would be anything special. Then I had some at a gathering catered by Seattle Fish Guys, which arguably makes the best poke in town, and now I can’t get enough of it!)
Fave drink: Obsidian Stout (Deschutes Brewery)
Fave junk snack: Cheetos (crunchy)
Fave healthy snack: peanuts
Fave pencil for writing: The classic Palomino Blackwing
Fave colored pencils: Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle
Fave eraser: Tombow Mono Smart (hacked to fit Blackwing ferrule)
Fave fountain pen: Sailor 1911 (full size) with Naginata Fude de Mannen nib (Similar pens can be found here, nib grind is harder to come by)
Fave ink: Platinum Carbon Black (Yes, boring black, but still the one I use most for drawing.)
Fave gel pen: Pentel EnerGel RTX 0.7
Fave travel journal: Rhodia Rhodiarama Webnotebook A6 hardbound
Fave sketchbook: Stillman & Birn Beta A5 softcover
Fave EDC bag: Rickshaw Zero Messenger
Fave bag accessory: Tran Portfolio Pencil Case (holding Museum Pencils)
Fave nerdy/niche collectible: Cretacolor pencil boxes with Urban Sketchers Symposium logo (collected over several years)
Fave analog activity: Sketching anything from life (especially animals)

In news

Ordering Sailor Studio Inks from Dromgoole’s (Sponsored Post)

AnaSeptember 20, 2019October 23, 2019Leave a comment

We have posted about this before but we wanted to let you know AGAIN… in time to get some of the amazing Sailor Studio Inks and have them delivered to you at either the Dallas Pen Show OR the Colorado Pen Show. So, read on, good friends, for all the details!

Sailor has made it quite challenging to get Sailor Studio Inks. They are only available from brick-and-mortar boutique stores and they can only be purchased “in store”. But Dromgoole’s in Houston has made it possible for folks in the US to get these unique and wonderful ink colors by calling their shop and ordering them by phone (No email or online ordering). And then they will bring them to you at one of the upcoming pen shows. Almost instant gratification.

In the days of internet ordering, this may seem a little arcane but Sailor has a strict policy. So, short of showing up at the Houston headquarters of Dromgoole’s in person, calling on the phone is the only way Sailor will permit customers to purchase the inks without being in the store. (Again, let me be clear – No email or online ordering… Use Ye Olde Tyme TELEPHONE. I know you can do it. I did it and I hate talking on the phone. I ordered TEN bottles last time I called.)

Dromgoole’s makes it super easy. Call them up, give them your list of colors and your credit card number, If you call in now, they can bring your inks to the Dallas Pen Show (or Colorado, if you wait a couple days) and they’ll hand deliver it to you. How’s that for service?

Order any (or all!) of the Sailor Studio inks ($18 per bottle). The number to call is 713.526.4651. Dromgoole’s is open 8:30-5:30 Monday-Friday and 9-5 on Saturday (CST). They are closed on Sunday.

Call soon to get the best color selection and to make sure your order gets packed in time.

If you can’t make it to these shows, you can order anytime and Dromgoole’s can ship your order to you. Again, the number is 713.526.4651.

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

All the reviews we’ve done of Sailor Studio Ink reviews are here.

In Ink Review

Ink Review: Sailor Studio 223

Jessica ColesSeptember 19, 2019September 22, 20191 Comment

By Jessica Coles

A few months ago I reviewed my first Sailor Studio ink – 123. This is one of the most popular inks in the Sailor Studio line up, typically selling as fast as retailers can order it! There’s a good reason for this; Sailor Studio 123 is an incredibly unique ink that contains a rainbow of colors. Since Sailor creates these inks in families that share characteristics while the saturation level varies, I decided to try the closest ink to 123 – Sailor Studio 223 ($18 for 20mL at Dromgooles)!

The label on 223 shows a light to medium grey with cool undertones.

But as soon as the bottle is opened, the underlying characteristics of the ink begin to show. The cap shows blues, purples, and pinks.

The swatch card also started revealing the complex miix of Sailor Studio 223. The ink has an overall color of grey, but has a main tone towards pinkish-purple. the edges of the heavier ink applications show blue and green halos with a very slight sheen of black.

In writing, the ink can vary as well. I chose a Sailor Zoom nib to demonstrate the difference your nib selection can make. As you can see, shading is present even in an extra fine nib (in this case it was actually a Zoom nib writing upside down).

To show the relationship to Sailor Studio 123, here are the two ink swatches with Papier Plume Bayou Nightfall for comparison.

Grey. Grey is a tough color to pin down since it can swing from warm to cool but still be filed under the general term of grey. These were the closest greys I had, with Papier Plume Oyster Grey being the winner.

So what makes up this color shifting ink? I used a paper towel to catch stray drips as I filled the Sailor. This is the most saturated of the stray drops. No water was added.

Another drop spread out farther:

This last example was one where I added a bit of water so the colors could spread further. I’m fairly certain the entire rainbow is present.

Sailor 223 may actually be my newest favorite Studio ink since it is more legible in normal writing. For those who admire 123 but dislike pastel inks, try 223 instead. Plus it isn’t sold out everywhere!

If you have ever tried to purchase Sailor Studio inks, you know how tough it can be to find a store selling it, pay for the shipping and wait for the slow boat to make its way overseas (unless you are lucky enough to live in Japan). Good news! Sailor has recently started allowing sales of these small bottles of sunshine by select retailers in the US. However, Sailor did put a restriction on these sales – orders for Sailor Studio inks can only be taken over the phone. Dromgoole’s was kind enough to provide this bottle of 223 for review and you can find ordering instructions here. The entire staff is great to talk to when ordering and if you order before the Dallas Pen Show, you can pick up your ink at their table – no shipping cost!

Tools:

Paper: Nanami Seven Seas Writer ($26 from Nanami Paper), Col-o-ring cards ($10 from Well-Appointed Desk)
Pen: Bungubox San Fransisco Sailor with a Zoom steel nib ($230 from Bungubox)
Ink: Sailor Studio 223 ($18 for 20ml bottle from Dromgooles)

DISCLAIMER: The ink in this review was provided free of charge by Dromgoole’s for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

Tools:

Pelikan Hub Reports:

Pens:

Ink:

Pencils:

Notebooks & Paper:

Art & Creativity:

Other Interesting Things:

Tools: