In feature

2017 Cheers and Tears

Author AnaPosted on 10 Comments

In my yearly round-up, I thought I might pick my favorite pens, inks and other stationery items for the year. There are so many amazing things this year, it was really hard to narrow it down.

I can’t thank Tina and Laura enough for coming on board and making this blog even better this year! I can’t wait to see what they’ll add to it next year.

There are not quite so many tears this year, thankfully.

Favorite Pens for 2017 (in no specific order):

Karas Pen Co. Decograph
The boys in Arizona took a chance on acrylics and made some absolutely beautiful new pens with the Decograph that are both reminiscent of the past while maintaining their modern machinist vibe.

Caran d'Ache 849 Fountain Pen

Caran d’Ache 849 Fountain Pen
I may be alone in my adoration for the Caran d’Ache 849 fountain pen but it has become one of my everyday carry pens. Some find the nibs a little too feedback-y or scratchy but I like the friction. Its reminds of a pencil and the snap cap make it great for quick notes.

Platinum 3776 Shungyo Fountain Pen
I fell in love with Platinum fountain pens this year and the 3776 Shungyo was my gateway drug. Technically, a series of Platinum Carbon Desk Pens were my actual gateway but the flood gates were opened with the Shungyo. I bought the 3776 Shungyo with the soft fine nib after a series of trial and error with several different pens at the San Francisco Pen Show. The soft fine nib is particularly finicky and a pen show is a great place to try several different models of the same pen until you find the right one with a pen like this. Any other nib on this model is not quite so fussy but the soft fine behaves differently. At a pen show, there is the advantage of having nibmeisters on site who can tune the nibs well. I lucked out in finding one that didn’t need additional tuning.

Carolina Pen Co. Matte Petal Pink Fountain Pen (Zaxxon Rule breaker)
I had the opportunity to buy my first pen from Jonathan Brooks at the San Francisco Pen Show. And while he is becoming wildly well-known for his Primary Manipulation resins and Urushi work, I fell in love with a pastel pink, matte finish resin with a slight hint of silver dust. It looked almost vintage. So while this is not necessarily the exact resin finish you could get from Jonathan, you could request something totally different from what you’ve seen in his Instagram feed. He is a man of unlimited talent and creativity.

Favorite Inks for 2017:

Robert Oster Fire & Ice

Okay, technically Robert Oster Fire & Ice burst onto the scene at the end of 2016 but I sold so much of it at pen shows this year that it was THE ink of 2017, hands down.

Robert Oster Viola

This was the year that I delighted in the inks that were not the standard colors and there were so many to choose from it really is hard to pick just a few. Oster Viola is not one that caught many people’s attention but I loved it.

Robert Oster Caffe Creme

I have a hard time finding brown inks that rock my world but one stroke across the page with Caffe Creme and I was sold. Sorry, Pelikan Smoky Quartz. Caffe Creme had so much more depth and variety going for it.

Kyo-No-Oto No. 1 Nureba-iro

I finally discovered a black ink I love. Kyo-no-oto No. 1 Nureba-iro is it. I not only fell in love with a ridiculously expensive Japanese ink but a whole line of inks that come in a beautiful bottle. No one ever said this hobby was was cheap or decisions were made logically.

Organics Studio Nitrogen Royal Blue/Thoreau Walden Pond

Organics Studio came back on the scene this year with a sheen! Nitrogen and Walden Pond was all anyone could talk about if they liked sheening inks. The color is fabulous but if any of the ink dries on the cap of the bottle, you will end up with sheen flakes lingering on your desk or counter for days. I recommend a protective layer of towels.

Other Favorite Stationery-Related Items:

Rickshaw Pen Sleeves
Rickshaw Bags plush-lined pen sleeves, available in 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-pen configurations, have become some of my favorite pen carrying accessories. The vast array of sizes and color options make them a great addition to your next pen purchase. Get one to match your favorite pen or pen collection.

Col-o-ring
Not to toot my own horn but I sure am glad to finally have a replacement for the discontinued swatch cards I had been using, even if I did have to make the Col-o-ring myself. I’ve filled over 400 cards this year for myself as well as making cards for demos and shops. Col-o-rings have truly been a labor of love and I’m so glad other people have liked them too.

NockCo Fodderstack Petite Card + Pen Holder
The Fodderstack Petite Card Size doubles as Col-o-ring card holder and the pen holder slot will hold a travel dip pen and a couple cotton swabs. This version of the Fodderstack is only available at pen shows (not quite a Zaxxon Rule breaker but close). It’s the perfect travel swatching kit for taking to pen club or to a pen show, which I frequently do. Keep an eye for one next time you’re at a show.

The Pencil Perfect

Caroline Weaver created an absolutely page-turning book about the history of pencils. The Pencil Perfect is full of intrigue, history and so much more. The illustrations and conversational tone make it readable and enjoyable.

Favorite Non-Stationery Things:

Lucy (The other Zaxxon Rule-breaker, but you are welcome to come over and per her anytime or visit your local shelter and adopt your own furry companion)

On the day of the eclipse, a kitten wandered into our backyard and into our hearts. El Presidente of the house, Rosie, hasn’t warmed to her yet but everyone else in our house thinks she’s pretty keen.

Sphero R2-D2 Robot

My new Sphero R2-D2 Droid is a licensed Star Wars product done right. Take notes, Sheaffer and Cross. By far, the best Christmas gift I got this year. He can be controlled with my phone, chase my cats around, do patterns on my kitchen floor, watch movies with me and generally entertain the hell out of me. He also cost considerably less than a Cross Century Chewbacca fountain pen.

Nerdette Podcast

While there were two great new stationery-related podcasts added to my podcast catcher this year, I was also thrilled to add Nerdette to my line-up as well.

Tears:

(Image from the Long Island Pen Show Web Site, circa 2009)

Susan Wirth

Real tears were shed this year at the sudden passing of pen show fixture, Susan Wirth. She was someone who made a real impact on me and her passing was too sudden. The community lost great knowledge and a compassionate, caring person who took no crap from anyone. I raise a gin and tonic in her honor.

Montblanc Velvet Red Writing Sample

Montblanc William Shakespeare Velvet Red Ink

To start with, I hate that the round bottle is used some of the time with Montblanc special releases. The artwork on the William Shakespeare Velvet Red bottle was awful and the ink color was downright lame. One should not proceed half-cocked if you intend to take on the Bard. For shame, Montblanc.

Some of Montblanc’s limited edition pens also made me say “Hmmm?” this year too. The Beatles pen was close… until you see the mustache clip and then I had to wonder who phoned in that design decision. And the overtly curvy Marilyn Monroe pen was clearly designed by a man who only knew about Monroe from reading her Wikipedia page and not the deeply troubled, multi-faceted woman that she was. She was more than a curvy, red dress. If they ever do a Grace Kelly pen, I shudder to think what they might do.


The Star Wars Collection from Sheaffer (and Cross)

If Sheaffer thought it was going to escape my wrath, it clearly didn’t get the memo from Cross from last year. The Sheaffer line of Star Wars pens and accessories left me wanting. Get it together, folks. If you’re going to do an entry level novelty pen with printed graphics, then price it under $20. It looks cheap. Or up your game.

And while I’m on the subject… really, Cross? The Chewbacca pen? WTF were you thinking?

Looking Forward

I’m hoping that 2018 will bring even more collaborations and projects from the community. There are small ink manufacturers popping up, Kickstarter projects and other new ventures everyday that get me excited to see what the pen community worldwide will unveil in the coming year. New collectors are coming into the community with a love for vintage, modern and everything in-between. There’s no telling what wonders will be created, saved and rebuilt. And maybe, we’ll all meet over a drink at the bar at the next pen show or pen club meet-up? If you see me out, please say hello, okay?

DISCLAIMER: This review contains Affiliate links. These links provide pennies of income should you choose to order a product via the link. Every penny helps pay for server space, postage, ink and kitty litter. We are eternally grateful for your continued support. Please see the About page for more details.

In news

Giveaway Winners: Hobonichi x3

Author AnaPosted on 2 Comments

Thanks to everyone who entered the Hobonichi x3 Giveaway. I feel like these books are headed off to good homes. Hopefully, there will be more awesome giveaways, reviews and eye candy in 2018, so stay tuned!

The winners, selected by our random number generator, are:

Lydia, Marie and Elise, I don’t know what you do in real life but together you sound like a crack team of superspy superhero cover names. Use those planners to save the world! And have a fabulous 2018!

In Pencil Review

Pencil Review: Red Pencils

Author AnaPosted on 3 Comments
Pencil Review: Red Pencils

I have a thing for pencils, particularly red/blue pencils, but you knew that already, didn’t you? So, in my never ending hunt for red/blue pencils, I occasionally come across red marking pencils. These are also extremely useful. For most people, these are correction pencils or grading pencils. For me, these are sketching pencils so my criteria for usefulness is often slightly different.

For grading, teachers are looking for red pencils that can’t be erased. I’ve come to understand that in Japan, there is a tendency to prefer a warmer, red-orange color rather than a bright fire engine red as it seems less harsh  in the already over-angst ridden Japanese educational system.

For correction notes in a professional setting, erasability is an either/or proposition.  It’s not necessary but can be helpful if someone changes their mind about a change in a document.

For sketching, I like being able to erase but for a lot of artists, its not necessary. The point of sketching in red is that you can then ink over your red lines, scan in your drawings in color and then drop out the red channel in RGB and voila! No sketch lines. Hence, the need to erase is not necessary. I like to be able to erase some of the lines just because they can get a little distracting. I like the red lead (or blue, also an option) because its less smudge-y than graphite as its usually wax-based and tends to stay put or fade rather than turn my paper all grey if smudged.

So, I thought I’d round up the pile of red pencils (not artist grade, so there are no Prismacolors or the like in here) that I’ve acquired and show you the differences.

I tested these in a sketchbook with toothy 60lb drawing paper and then did some additional tests on Rhodia smooth paper as well.

The Hex-Shaped:

Viking Valgblyant Jumbo ($3) The Viking is the only jumbo-sized red pencil in the mix and while I’m not sure the original intention for it, I was charmed by its white gloss paint, dipped end and hole drilled in the end as if to hang it by a clipboard for marking off orders. It also erased pretty well so I might work well for quick under sketches on large canvases, for outdoor marking or other big projects. I’m envisioning it used for wall murals maybe?  The thick lead would make it durable too for heavy hands. The lead was a warmer, orangey red but it felt a little dry and chalky overall.

Ticonderoga Erasable Carmine Red ($9.69/doz.) Oh, Ticonderoga. I keep trying. The box I purchased was a “made in Mexico” set I picked up at my local big box office supply store. I was hoping it would bode well for the quality. I resharpened them from the factory “pre-sharpened” point in hopes of getting a less scratchy writing/drawing experience. Overall, it was a pretty dry, hard pencil. It made erasing very challenging as well for a pencil clearly labelled “erasable”. At the price point, they are about $0.80 per pencil which is twice the cost of the Musgraves.

Musgrave Hermitage 510 Thin Red ($0.40) The Musgrave Hermitage Thin is the classic red checking pencil. It’s the least expensive in this group and I’d consider the baseline by which to judge all other red pencils. It is a solid choice. The color is a good true red, the price couldn’t be better and the look is classic. The Hermitage is still made in the USA, it is a fairly sharp hex and has a pleasant creamy consistency.

Mitsubishi Hard 7700 ($2) The Mitsubishi Hard 7700 is cooler in color than their Fine Vermillion 2451 round. The end is unfinished but a beautiful glossy finish with a soft hex shape. It keeps a good point but feels a bit drier on drawing paper than the Ticonderoga.

Of the three hex-shaped red pencils, the Musgrave was my favorite core, the Mitsubishi had the best feel in the hand because of the finish.

The Rounds:

Kitabobshi Red Pencil 9352 ($1) The core of the Kitaboshi Red is the coolest red color of the three round pencils I found. The consistency of the core of the Red and Vermillion feel similar. They are both soft but drier than a Prismacolor.

Kitaboshi Vermillion Pencil 9351 ($1) The Kitaboshi Vermillion is almost the same color and consistency as the Mitsubishi Fine Vermillion Hard. I can’t tell that the core consistency is all that different than the Musgrave or the hex Mitsubishi but if you prefer round pencils over hex shaped pencils, than either of the Kitaboshi would be a good option.

Mitsubishi Fine Vermillion Hard 2451 ($2.50) The biggest difference is that the Mitsubishi Fine Vermillion Hard has a finished end with ferrule and eraser. It’s the most expensive and the exterior finish doesn’t feel any smoother than the Kitaboshi. If you like the warmer red color and like a round pencil, go with the Kitaboshi over the Mitsubishi Fine Hard.

I generally prefer hex-shaped pencils though for colored pencils I love Prismacolors so I do make exceptions. These round red pencils don’t offer more than the hex red pencils.

The Mechanicals:

Pilot Color Eno 0.7mm Mechanical ($2.75 & $1.65 for 6-lead refill) While the mechanical pencil bodies don’t really matter here, the Pilot Color Eno 0.7mm may be the gateway for some into the world of colored mechanical pencil leads. You can put any color lead into any mechanical pencil as long as its the right diameter. The standard Color Eno leads are fairly soft and a little on the pink side.

Uni Kuru Toga 0.7 with Uni Nano Dia 0.7mm Red ($7.50 and $3.30 for 20-piece refill) The Kuru Toga is a favorite mechanical pencil for many folks so I put my favorite red lead into it. I hate to bias this but there you have it. This is my go-to lead as it fits into many of my mechanical pencils (it’s also available in 0.5mm). It’s soft enough to work with a light touch. It’s still a cooler red than the hex pencils but since it is in a mechanical pencil, I don’t have to worry about having a sharpener handy and can lay in fine details for drawings.

If I were only using red pencil for writing, I’d go with the Musgrave Hermitage but since I am mostly using it for sketching, I tend to favor the Uni Nano Dia 0.7mm Red in whatever mechanical pencil strikes my fancy. The leads fit in my vintage Sheaffer Skripserts, my Kaweco Special in Black as well as the Uni Kuru Toga so I have a lot of pencil options.

NOTE: I employed the Doppel-Läufer Universal 0440 rubber eraser ($1.50) for the erasing as it has a grittier end designed for erasing colored pencil and ink. So most pencils erased a bit but red pencils just don’t erase as well as graphite pencils do.

DISCLAIMER: Some items were sent to me free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review. Others were purchased from shops with my own funds. Please see the About page for more details.

In Link Love

Link Love: Rounding Up 2017 and the Lamy Aion

Author AnaPosted on 2 Comments
Link Love: Rounding Up 2017 and the Lamy Aion

Year End Round-Ups, Favorites & Top Posts:

Pens:

Ink:

Pencils:

Paper & Notebooks:

Other Interesting Things:

In feature

Giveaway: Hobonichi Techo x 3

Author AnaPosted on 271 Comments
Giveaway: Hobonichi Techo x 3

I got whipped up in the frenzy of the launch of the 2018 Hobonichi Techo products this year so I bought one of everything before they sold out without knowing for sure which one I would actually use. FOMO is a terrible thing. Then the Jibun Techo was released a couple weeks later and I got  caught up in the frenzy of that. So, I have more planners than I have plans. I went overboard. So, you win! Or you can. I’m giving away the excess. Here are your options:

 Set #1:

The Hobonichi Techo Original A6 Avec (Two 6-month books plus the 2018 Weekly calendar book) with Melon cloth cover and clear protective plastic cover.

Set #2:

The Weeks with forest green cover and Circling Stars plastic cover plus the Weeks Corner marker.

Set #3:

Hobonichi Techo A5 Cousin with Water Blue cloth cover and Hana Nomad Plastic Cover.

All three sets are brand new, never used. Some were removed for photography purposes only but have never been written in or opened for more than a peek.

TO ENTER:

All you have to do is tell me in the comments which set you want. I’ll pick three winners in this giveaway, one for each set. Let’s do this!

FINE PRINT: All entries must be submitted by 10pm CST on Friday, December 29, 2017. All entries must be submitted at wellappointeddesk.com, not Twitter, Tumblr or Facebook, okay? Winner will be announced on Saturday. Winner will be selected by random number generator from entries that played by the rules (see above). Please include your email address in the comment form so that I can contact you if you win. I will not save email addresses or sell them to anyone — pinky swear. If winner does not respond within 7 days, I will draw a new giveaway winner. Shipping via USPS first class is covered. Additional shipping options or insurance will have to be paid by the winner. We are generous but we’re not made of money. US and APO/AFO only, sorry.

In feature, news

Giveaway Winner: Jibun Techo 3-in-1 Life Log Diary A5 Slim

Author AnaPosted on 1 Comment
Giveaway Winner: Jibun Techo 3-in-1 Life Log Diary A5 Slim

First, a Merry Christmas to all! And then, a big thank you to our anonymous donor for the Jibun Techo for this giveaway. The pen community really is full of the nicest, most generous people I have ever met.

And finally, a great big congratulations to our winner:

I hope that the Jibun Techo 3-in-1 helps make 2018 more organized so that you have more time for friends, family and homemade baked goods!

Thanks to all my lovely readers who left comments and Pay It Forward ideas. Reading all the wonderful, generous gestures that each of you do makes me so happy. There was lots of pen, pencil and notebook distribution to friends, family and colleagues, volunteering, baking, extra generosity when tipping, care for animals, tutoring, and some special love for bloggers and podcasters. If you want to see just how awesome the pen community is, read through the comments to see how amazing everyone is. I wish I had 82 Jibun Techos to give to everyone of you.

In Ink Review

12 Days of Inkmas Bonus: Diamine Wine Divine

Author AnaPosted on 4 Comments
12 Days of Inkmas Bonus: Diamine Wine Divine

Since I didn’t align my 12 Days of Inkmas properly, I decided to give you a bonus Inkmas. So, on this magically, snowy Christmas Eve here in Kansas City, I give you a toast of Diamine Wine Divine ($20 for 50ml bottle) to celebrate.

As you can see, there is gold sparkle to the burgundy ink. And I had a little trouble with my spelling. No worse than any of my other swatching crimes!

I loaded this up in my Wing Sung 698 Demonstrator with EF nib. It appears to be a knock-off Pilot nib in a pseudo-TWSBI-esque style pen so I’m wondering if I could swap out the nib for a Pilot Plumix calligraphy nib to get maximum ink coverage?

With soft light, you can see the gold in the large painted letters very clearly and a few hints of the gold in the smaller letters like “extra fine”. It’s not nearly as apparent as yesterday’s Spearmint Diva.

With more directed light, I tried to pick up more of the sparkle in the painted letters. It’s hard to get the effects in still photos.

I made a few more attempts using a flash to get the sparkle to reveal itself but, in writing, Wine Divine was not nearly as sparkly in a fine nib pen as Spearmint Diva.

As for color comparisons, there is not another sparkle ink in my collection anywhere close but Robert Oster Maroon 1789 was similar in hue.

So, I enjoyed playing with this sparkle ink because sparkle inks are always fun but Spearmint Diva was more sparkly. Wine Divine is a bit more subtle and the burgundy/gold combo is certainly classier but, c’mon, we’re talking about sparkly inks so how classy can I really be?

Happy holidays! Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukah! Happy New Year!

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DISCLAIMER: This item was sent to me free of charge by Vanness Pens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.