Deals & Drops: Lamy Pen and Ink Avalanche

This week the Lamy Pastel Safaris have finally arrived in stock at most retailers. They’re not necessarily my bag, but they do look nice if you enjoy the pastel colors, and the spring/Easter timing is right on point. A few other things of interest this week include a gorgeous new Maki-e Izumo at the Nibsmith, the arrival of the Leonardo Momento Zero at Pen Chalet, the TWSBI Eco Transparent Orange, and a NOS Mustard Yellow Vanishing Point at Anderson Pens! Be sure to check these out.

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1. Lamy Pastel Safaris (via Vanness Pens). The pastel Safaris have landed (all three colors). Grab your 2019 limited editions now!

2. Bronze Lamy AL-Star (via Pen Chalet). Pen Chalet is including a free Lamy Converter with your purchase of a Bronze AL-Star, so you can get started using the Bronze Special Edition Ink as well.

3. Lamy Crystal Ink (via Vanness Pens). I’ve stocked up on all the Lamy Crystal colors that I want to try, but certain colors are getting scarce since these inks are so popular.

4. Leonardo Momento Zero Pens (via Pen Chalet). Pen Chalet is now stocking one of my favorite new fountain pens on the market! I’m glad to see these pens getting more exposure. They’re a steal at the price point.

5. Platinum Izumo Urokomon Hira Maki-e Raden Fountain Pen (via The Nibsmith). It’s expensive, but honestly, I thought this pen would cost double what it does. I’m more impressed with what Platinum is doing every day.

6. Pilot Vanishing Point in Mustard Yellow New Old Stock (via Anderson Pens). Pilot should never have discontinued this mustard-yellow version of the standard Vanishing Point.

7. TWSBI Eco Transparent Orange (via Amazon). Possibly the best-looking TWSBI Eco special edition that I’ve seen so far! I was a fan of the original Amber 540 (and wish they would bring that one back).

8. Pelikan M101N Grey Blue (via Appelboom). Three weeks in and this latest Pelikan M101N special edition is still on my list for 2019. It’s a beautiful pen, and more striking in person.

9. One Star Leather Goods (via One Star Leather/Etsy). If you haven’t checked out Keegan’s leather notebook covers and other quality leather goods, do so. You can customize a cover for your Hobonichi, Baron Fig, Leuchtturm, or whatever notebook brand you use. Check out my review of a custom Baron Fig Confidant that he made for me.

10. Conklin Duraflex Limited Edition (via Pen Chalet). I’ve not tried Conklin’s “flexible steel” nib, but the “Sunstone” material on this limited edition Duragraph is gorgeous.

11. Conklin Duragraph “Red Nights” (via Goldspot). This week’s “Weekly Dip” special is a steep discount on the Conklin Duragraph, which is a great pen that typically runs in the $50-60 range, but which Goldspot has much lower in this particular color.

12. Working Typewriters (via Working Typewriters/Etsy). This is one of the best-stocked typewriter stores I’ve come across online, and it gets great reviews if you’re in the market for a restored typewriter.

13. Padded Book Sleeves (via WanderStitchStudios/Etsy). Book sleeves are a great idea, and I don’t see why they couldn’t also be used to keep journals or notebooks from getting dog-eared or torn up in your bag? Plus, you know, there are Harry Potter options.

14. Digital Minimalism (via Amazon). Cal Newport’s latest book is an excellent read that should be of interest to followers of this blog, especially if you’re looking to minimize mindless digital distraction in your daily life while you’re trying to get work done.

15. Raven Watches (via Huckberry). I rarely post watch-related material here, despite there being a strong overlap between communities of pen and watch enthusiasts. When I saw that Raven was being featured on Huckberry, however, I felt compelled to post this because I own a Raven (a Venture) and love it. The craftsmanship and components far outstrip the price.

New from Inventery: Interchangeable Mechanical Pen and Pencil

I’ve reviewed many products from Los Angeles-based design house Inventery over the years, starting with their Mechanical Pen. which still sits on my desk years later. I’ve also had the opportunity to test out their Bolt Action Pen and Pocket Fountain Pen, both of which continued Inventery’s trend of great design and high-quality manufacturing. Yesterday on Indiegogo, Inventery launched a follow-up: the Interchangeable Mechanical Pen and Pencil, which allows you to swap out the internal components and alternate between a retractable pen and a mechanical pencil.

Two great refills: the Schmidt Easyflow 9000 ballpoint refill and Schmidt’s .5mm mechanical pencil refill.

The aesthetic and functionality of the Interchangeable Mechanical Pen/Pencil is very similar to Inventery’s previous products. It features a removable clip, and the clip design is the same as on the Bolt-Action Pen, which has more spring and tension than the clip on the Pocket Fountain Pen. For its pencil option, the Interchangeable Pen/Pencil uses a .5mm Schmidt mechanism that threads securely into the pen body, and otherwise accepts Parker-style pen refills, shipping with the excellent (and inexpensive) Schmidt Easyflow 9000 ballpoint refill.

Inventery’s clip design has progressed, including increasing the tension and adding a small ball to the end to make the clip “grippier.” Also, check out the engraving on the inside with the numbering of the pen! A nice touch.

Like Inventery’s other products, each Mechanical Pen/Pencil is engraved with the “I” logo on the top of the knock. And, as with Inventery’s other products, the Interchangeable Pen/Pencil is available in three finishes: brass, brass with a black oxide coating, and brass with a nickel coating.

Some assembly required: it’s not as hard as it looks!

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I’m a fan of Inventery’s writing instruments, particularly because they allow you to customize the pen to fit your needs. For example, most of their pens allow you to easily remove the clip, and certain models (Pocket Fountain Pen and Bolt Action Pen) either let you adjust the length using extenders or come in different sizes. The only possible drawback is the brass construction, which adds weight and can be too heavy for some, though the black and nickel coating does keep your hands from smelling like brass. I’d also note that the stock mechanical pencil lead that shipped with the pens broke very easily, probably due to the extra stress and pressure the brass pen body added, so you’ll need to be sure to use high-quality, durable leads. I swapped in some Pentel Ain Stein .5 lead in “B” hardness, which worked like a charm.

You can back the Interchangeable Mechanical Pen and Pencil on Indiegogo, with rewards for a single pen/pencil starting as low as $42. I consider this excellent value for a pen/pencil of this quality, with pricing below any of Inventery’s other offerings to date. As of the time of writing, Inventery has already doubled its funding goal of $3000 with 29 days left! If crowdfunding sites aren’t your thing, check out the Inventery store, where you can purchase their other products, and presumably the Mechanical Pen/Pencil once the Indiegogo campaign closes.

Disclaimer: Inventery provided me with the pens featured in this post free of charge, for review purposes. This post contains affiliate links.

Special Edition Ink Alert: Two Papier Plume Inks for the Chicago Pen Show

Every year, Papier Plume releases one or two special edition inks for the Chicago Pen Show. Building on last year’s Bootlegger’s Sacrament (a wine red) and “Da Blue,” (a Chicago Bears-inspired blue-black) this year’s inks include “Lake Michigan Winter,” (a turquoise/teal) and “Bad Bad Leroy Brown” (you guessed it).

For those of you attending the Chicago Pen Show from May 2-May 5, you’ll be able to purchase these inks at Papier Plume’s table, and from their website after the show. Most of the Chicago Pen Show inks have always sold out quickly, however, and Papier Plume typically only makes a single batch, so if you want to get your hands on either of these you’ll need to find someone attending the show to hook you up or quickly place an order afterwards.

Generally speaking, Papier Plume inks are unsaturated, so they play nice in most pens and offer good ink flow and shading. I’d compare them to Callifolio, Waterman, or standard (non-shimmer) Herbin, though the colors tend to have more pop than the Herbin inks. Papier Plume inks also offer good value, with the larger 30ml bottles costing $8 for the standard lineup of colors and $10 for special editions. You can also purchase smaller 15ml bottles of the standard colors for $5. Count me a fan!

Papier Plume also specializes in wax seals, an example of which you will find on the caps of their special edition inks.

Disclaimer: Papier Plume provided me with these two bottles of ink at no charge for review purposes. Many thanks!

Sunday Reading for April 21, 2019

1. 9 Genius Pen Features (via UK Fountain Pens). Anthony continues to kill it with some great content, and I agree with every single item on his list here.

2. 600 Years of Writing (via Mountain of Ink). Kelli has created this detailed survey of various handwriting styles, complete with photos and historical details of each one. If you have even a passing interest in handwriting and calligraphy, you should give this a read.

3. Where I Buy Pens (via UK Fountain Pens). I’m always interested in where people shop, and there are several retailers on this list from whom I’ve never purchased.

4. My Pen Collection 2019 (via Macchiato Man). Yagan walks us through his pen collection, and this massive post has great photos, including nib close-ups of nibs. As expected, there are some very interesting Sailor Pro Gears!

5. IndiGraph Fountain Pen That Can Use India Ink (via SBRE Brown). For those of you intrigued by the IndiGraph Kickstarter project that’s been receiving a lot of attention on the pen interwebs, Stephen reviews a prototype. The product is real, it appears to work, and is targeted at the urban sketcher community.

6. Moleskine Basquiat Limited Edition Notebook Review (via Writing at Large). I love the aesthetics on this notebook, but Moleskine’s inconsistency with respect to their paper unfortunately keeps me away. I’m going to wait and see what I hear about how this batch performs.

7. Pelikan Edelstein Star Ruby Ink Review and Giveaway (via Pen Chalet). Since I already have a plenty of pink/red and dark pink inks, I’ll probably take a pass on this year’s Edelstein Ink of the Year. Still, Star Ruby is a nice color and Pen Chalet is giving away a bottle!

8. Lamy Crystal Agate (via Well-Appointed Desk). After hemming and hawing a bit, I decided to order a bottle of this ink, in part because I think it might end up being the “legible gray” that I’ve been looking to add to my rotation.

9. Fountain Pen Ink Cartridges: What Are Your Favorites? (via Pen Addict). I like cartridges too, but since they have a tendency to evaporate I don’t keep a huge stockpile on hand and try to replace them as I use them up. A while back I wrote about cartridges, and those pictured in the post are the ones I use the most. (I’m partial to Kaweco.)

10. Hovel Pencil Plane (via Well-Appointed Desk). A pencil sharpener that both intrigues and terrifies me at the same time, even though it shouldn’t as it looks pretty safe. I’d probably still figure out a way to plane my finger off.

Please Visit and Support My Sponsors and Affiliates!

Please take a moment to visit these fine folks who help keep this blog going! It's next to impossible to keep up a steady stream of fresh review content without some form of sponsorship or affiliate relationship. I'm grateful to everyone who's helped me out along the way.   

1. Vanness Pens. Vanness Pens carries rare and hard-to-find inks from all over the world, including Colorverse, Callifolio, Akkerman, and the full line of DeAtramentis. You can check out my recap of a visit to Vanness here.

2. Pen Chalet. Pen Chalet has a wide variety of available pens and offers unbeatable value on pens, inks, pen cases, etc. Don’t miss this week’s Easter sale, and grab an additional 10% off your order using the coupon code “EASTER” at checkout.

3. Anderson Pens. In addition to having one of the largest offerings of bottled ink in the world, Anderson Pens is an authorized retailer of a wide range of brands, including Sailor, Aurora and Faber-Castell. Check out the sponsor profile I published here, and don't miss out on their new special edition bright red Diplomat Aero.

4. Appelboom. Please check out Appelboom's extensive selection and excellent pricing on a wide range of brands, including Montblanc pens such as this Classique 145 I reviewed.

5. Goldspot Pens. Goldspot regularly offers excellent promotions and specials! Check out their "Weekly Dip" section for details.

6. The Nibsmith. Many thanks to our newest sponsor, The Nibsmith! Dan offers a vast selection of pens from Aurora, Montegrappa, TWSBI, Sailor, Pilot, and more, along with nib customization services! Dan is also now carrying Leonardo pens.

7. Pokka Pens. Pokka Pens makes high quality, portable ballpoints that make for a great EDC option, including a new pressurized “All-Weather” pen developed in partnership with Fisher and Rite-in-the-Rain. Check out my review here, and don't forget to use the code GENTSTA to get 10% off your purchase!

8. TGS Amazon Page. I run across many more items (pens, pencils, books, accessories, etc.) in my online "travels." I can't feature them all on TGS, but Amazon has an option where I can set up an affiliate page to host product recommendations and earn fees on referrals. Amazon does not sponsor or endorse this blog in any way.

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog I reviewed the KACO Edge fountain pen, a high-quality, inexpensive Chinese pen made from Makrolon and featuring a Schmidt nib, as well as two of the new Iroshizuku 100th Anniversary Inks, Hoteison (a dark green) and Bishamonten (a pinkish red). I also updated my “best pen” recommendations for 2019.

Finally, this week’s Deals & Drops highlights more new releases and a few non-pen items that may be of interest to the “analog-minded.”

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates.

Ink Review: Pilot Iroshizuku 100th Anniversary Inks, Bishamonten (Red) and Hoteison (Dark Green)

Pilot really puzzled me (and a lot of other people), because the company’s 100th anniversary was last year (2018), yet for some reason their “100th Anniversary Iroshizuku Inks” didn’t hit the states until March 2019. Better late than never, I guess.

The 100th Anniversary Iroshizuku inks consist of a fairly basic lineup of colors: Benzaiten (pink), Bishmonten (red), Daikokuten (yellow), Ebisu (light blue), Fukurokuju (green), Hoteison (dark green), and Jurojin (purple). As you can see, Pilot didn’t go out on too much of a limb here. Benzaiten, Bishamonten, and Hoteison are probably the most unique, whereas the others appear similar to inks already in the standard Iroshizuku lineup, though slightly different in tone. The inks are named to correspond to each of the “Seven Gods of Good Fortune” 100th Anniversary Pens, and if you have $30,000+ to drop, you can play the ultimate pen and ink matching game! (Or you can buy yourself a new BMW. Your choice.)

I like the label design - classic, yet still different, and the Iroshizuku ink bottle might be my current favorite. Bishamonten also has a slight gold sheen, which you can barely make out in this photograph. It’s subtle and will likely only appear in swabs or particularly wet writing pens.

The ink that interested me the most, and in the end, disappointed me somewhat, was Bishamonten . The standard Iroshizuku lineup doesn’t feature a “true red” - the colors that many people characterize as “red” tend to lean pink (Tsutsuji and Momiji) or purple/magenta (Yama Budo). So when I saw a new ink advertised as a “red”, I was thrilled. But while Bishamonten definitely appears less pink or purple than any of the existing inks, there’s still a pinkish hue, which is more pronounced in certain lights. I’m still holding out for Pilot to make an actual red ink, and dare I hope for a burgundy?

Hoteison is a green-black ink that has strong undertones of gray to it once it dries. The dark, muted Iroshizuku colors are some of my favorites, including Shin-Kai (blue-black), Syo-Ro (a dark teal-gray-green), Take-Sumi (a charcoal gray) and Tsuki-Yo (blue-black with teal undertones). Hoteison falls into this category, and will get a lot of use even if I already have a lot of similar shades in my collection.

Both colors are fairly saturated. They won’t appear washed-out. Like all Iroshizuku inks, Hoteison and Bishamonten are low-maintenance inks that don’t bleed or feather on most decent paper. (I’d still caution that Bishamonten, as a red ink, will have the potential to stain certain light-colored, porous, or transparent materials.)

Takeaways and Where to Buy

As always, Pilot makes a quality product, and Iroshizuku inks are among the best and most reliable out there. Bishamonten and Hoteison are no exception. I do have to admit, however, that the 100th Anniversary colors left me a touch disappointed. The two inks I reviewed here are by far the most interesting to me, and they’re a pinkish red and a dark green-black - not exactly imaginative shades. Regardless, these inks will sell well, simply because they’re special edition Iroshizukus, and if you don’t already have similar colors in your collection you can’t go wrong with any of them.

I purchased the two inks featured in this review from Vanness Pens at this year’s Atlanta Pen Show. Hoteison is currently in stock, but Bishamonten is sold out for the time being. Vanness has most of the other colors as well, and I expect they will get at least one other shipment of ink, though I have no insight into how long Pilot intends to make the 100th Anniversary colors before discontinuing them. If they interest you at all, I’d recommend that you purchase these inks now while they’re generally available.

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates. I purchased the inks featured in this review with my own funds, for my own use, though Vanness Pens did offer me a discount.