Ink Review: Iroshizuku Yama-Budo

Continuing my "red" kick, this week I've been using a lot of Iroshizuku Yama-Budo, an ink I like but have not used much in recent months.  That's due more to my glut of ink and tendency to rotate colors regularly than to any problems with this particular ink, of which there are none.  It's an unusual color (Pilot translates Yama-Budo as "Crimson Glory Vine"), and I personally have not seen an equivalent anywhere else.  From looking at swatches, I'd consider Rohrer & Klingner Solferino (link here for a swatch) or possibly their Magenta (link here) to be similar.  However, I've used neither of these two inks and have no idea how they would compare to Yama-Budo in terms of properties.  I can't imagine that you would get much better than Pilot's premium ink.

Handwritten review of Iroshizuku Yama Budo on Exacompta Index Card stock. 

As you can see from the writing sample, Yama-Budo is a pinkish-purple, which is just purple enough to use in a professional capacity, and contains enough pink to make the ink interesting without looking garish.  I like this ink in a wider nib--you can get some nice shading!  Otherwise, it's like any other Iroshizuku ink:  the dry time is relatively quick, and it works fine on less expensive paper.   

Here's a photographed writing sample, as opposed to a scan.  This is not a bright, "hot pink" ink.  The photograph probably captures the ink's depth of color slightly better than the scan does.  As I noted in my review of Pelikan's Edelstein Turmaline, my opinion is that the Turmaline leans to much in the "pink" direction to use at work and be taken seriously.  My earlier review contains a side-by-side comparison of the two inks (Yama-Budo and Turmaline).  If you look at samples of them separately, you might think they look similar. 

Iroshizuku often gets knocked for its steep price tag, which is around $30 at most retailers.  However, you can often find a discount code or take advantage of free shipping deals to lower the cost.  I'm also a fan of trading unused bottles of ink on forum sites such as FPGeeks or the Fountain Pen Network.  Personally, I've never had a hard time justifying paying a premium for these inks.  They work well in nearly all pens, you get a standard 50ml (which lasts a typical person a really long time), and the ink bottle itself is hefty and looks great on a desk.    

The Iroshizuku line of ink uses one of my favorite bottles.  The bottle itself contains a depression in the bottom to make it easier to fill a pen when the ink level gets low. 

As of 2023, The T.G.S. Curated Ship is able to offer you Pilot pens and inks directly, including the entire Iroshizuku lineup. We currently carry the 50ml bottles of ink, priced at $24. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. We no longer participate in third-party affiliate programs.

Ink Review: Montblanc Alfred Hitchcock

In early 2012, Montblanc issued a limited edition red ink to accompany its Alfred Hitchcock LE pen.  While the pen was gorgeous, it was well out of my reach.  (And out of the reach of most others, except for this one lucky man, who was kind enough to review the pen for the masses.)  For a mere fraction of the price, however, Hitchcock fans could claim a bottle of Montblanc's excellent Hitchcock ink, which despite being a limited edition was relatively easy to find for a period of time and eventually made its way into my regular rotation.  To date, this is the only ink I've "hoarded," and I have multiple bottles stashed away.  The ink is dark enough to use for any purpose, dries quickly, and doesn't feather or bleed.  The art deco styling on the small (30ml) bottle is attractive.  This is one LE ink that I would love to see reintroduced in a larger bottle to fill the need for a red in Montblanc's lineup.      

The ink is a dark "blood red," and I haven't seen any ink that I would call its equivalent.  Diamine has some dark reds that come close, but none have the same combination of great color and low-maintenance qualities that this ink has. 

Pen Review: Sailor Professional Gear Imperial Black Edition

One of my personal favorites, that until recently was always inked and used on a daily basis,  is the Sailor Professional Gear Imperial Black Edition.  Following a close call (and near total tragedy), my Imperial Black recently rejoined the rest of my collection thanks to Mr. Mike Masuyama, but more on that later.  

Aesthetically, this is one of the most beautiful pens that I own.  Sailor nailed it on the design.  I love the flat top cap and base, and the dark trim sets off the matte black color. 

I won this pen approximately a year ago in an eBay auction held by a Japanese eBay seller, and by sacrificing quick shipping and the U.S. display box option, I saved a little bit of money.  This pen has special meaning to me because I received it in the mail the day my daughter was born, and was carrying it and using it (with permanent Kiwa Guro pigmented ink, of course) to sign paperwork our entire first weekend with her.  Thus, you have my answer to that eternal question:  What pen would you use to sign your child's birth certificate?  (For me, it's not the Visionnaire.  I will give Morgan and his team credit, though.  They nailed the packaging on their product, as opposed to the hideous faux crushed velvet brown box in which this pen arrived.)  

If Elvis had purchased a pen in 1973 (which I'm sure he did), it probably would have come in a box like this. 

All joking aside, I knew from the eBay listing that this product was not coming to me in its original packaging (in order to save on shipping), so needless to say I wasn't expecting much in that regard.  This was my first Sailor pen, and what I was looking for here was one of Sailor's excellent nibs in a matte black pen with dark trim.  Apparently, Sailor uses Titanium ion plating to darken their trim, as opposed to Ruthenium.  Either way, I like the way this pen looks.  

Close-up of the titanium ionized trim.  My completely non-scientific survey of the pen industry revealed that Ruthenium is more commonly used in "stealth trim" than other metals, so Sailor's process may be unique?  Don't take my word for it--it's entirely speculation, and it doesn't really matter.  Both look great. 

I opted for the fine nib, which is equivalent to a western extra fine or narrower.  Despite the fact that it is 21k gold, the nib is not "soft."  In fact, it's a fairly stiff nib that lays a very fine line.  For example, the Sailor "fine" lays down a line of ink approximately one-half the width of my Pelikan M600 with an extra fine nib.  This is perfect for my needs, since I spend the majority of time at my day job editing others' written work product and scrawling marginalia.

A writing sample is included below.  The ink used is Sailor's Kiwa Guro nano-black.  As you can see from the photos, I'm working up a review of that as well. 

Nib Close-Up.  The tip is so fine that I had a hard time getting my camera to focus on it.  My photography skills need work.  Anyway, take a look at the classy scrollwork on the nib.  Tastefully done, in my opinion, with Sailor's iconic anchor symbol.   

Close-up image of the writing:  Note the very tight lines.  Paper is Field Notes Shelterwood edition.

The Good: 

  • Sailor nibs are amazing.  Although I had the nib tweaked to perfection by Mike Masuyama (who I believe used to work for Sailor), the nib wrote extremely well out of the box and I used it for several months before having it slightly tuned at the D.C. Pen Show.

  • Weight:  The pen is very light and fits nicely in the hand.  You can use this pen for long writing sessions without your hand becoming tired. 

  • Looks:  I love Matte black "stealth" pens, even though they are on the verge of becoming played out with every pen company trying to bring out a stealth model. 

The Cons:

  • Weight:  The pen is very light and can fly out of your hand if it becomes sweaty.  As I alluded to above, this happened to me once, and a slight drop of four inches onto my desk bent the 21K nib nearly in half.  Regardless of how stiff the nib writes, 21K gold is a soft material, and bends easily.  I managed to straighten it somewhat myself, but I had to send it to Mike Masuyama to restore the ink flow to a proper level.  Of course, it's now as good as new, but I'm much more careful with this pen.  

  • Size:  If you don't post your pens, the Sailor Pro Gear model might be too small for you.  I have to post this pen in order for it to write comfortably, but I post nearly every pen I own and don't have a problem with doing so. 

  • Sailor pens take proprietary cartridges and a proprietary converter.  It is what it is. 

The Overall Verdict.  this is one of the best, if not the best, writing pens in my collection.  The nib is superb.  That the pen also looks great is a bonus.  It's hardly ever out of rotation, and even then it's only to make sure that other pens in my collection get regular use. There are multiple buying options for this pen, and as I mentioned in the review I purchased directly from a Japanese seller, since for whatever reason Sailor has elected to price this pen at nearly double the Japanese price in the U.S. market.

July EDC Update

When I got home last weekend, I switched up the pen and ink rotation.  I've been using these since, and will probably use most of them for another week or two before I get the itch to update. 

Pens from left:  (1) Omas Ogiva in Saft Green with Masuyama-ground medium nib, loaded with Iroshizuku Kon Peki (2) Nakaya portable writer with medium nib, loaded with Montblanc Alfred Hitchcock; (3) Lamy 2000 with Greg Minuskin retipped .9mm stub nib, loaded with Akkerman Voorhout Violet; (4) Parker Sonnet Cisele with Fine Nib, loaded with Aurora Black; and (5) Waterman Phileas with Medium Nib, loaded with Iroshizuku Yama Budo.

Of this loadout, my favorite combos have been the Parker Sonnet with the Aurora Black (a classic pairing, IMHO), and the Nakaya with the Montblanc Hitchcock (the only ink I've hoarded).  I haven't spent a lot of time with the Omas yet, but that's primarily due to the fact that it's a wet writer and most of my work this week has been done on cheapo paper that feathers and bleeds like crazy.  I'm also really starting to love the Phileas, which I recently received in a trade.  Finally, Greg Minuskin did some masterful work retipping this Lamy 2000, which had been ruined by nib work so bad that even Mike Masuyama couldn't salvage it.  Reviews of all will be up at some point.  Enjoy the weekend everyone!  

Pen Review: Kaweco Liliput

The Liliput is one of those pens that doesn't get as much attention as its slightly larger pocket pen brethren, the Kaweco Sport Series.  I understand why--the pen is very small, and is a "pocket pen" in the truest sense of the word.  While the Sport and the AL Sport both post in a way that makes them almost full size, the Liliput remains, well, liliputian.  This pen probably appeals to a smaller group of users than the rest of Kaweco's offerings:  those people who absolutely must carry a fountain pen with them everywhere they go.  

As you can see, the pen is small, but not so small as to render it unusable.  I like this pen a lot, and use it regularly as a pocket carry. 

The pen certainly is not so small as to render it unusable.  I use this pen a lot, particularly as a pocket carry when I'm out and about.  With the right ink, it's a good Field Notes/pocket notebook pen because it slides into your pocket easily and the EF nib that I have is not so wet that the ink bleeds through the page significantly.  I can still write on both sides.

Other reviewers have found the pen too light.  The version I have is the black aluminum version, and true, there isn't much weight to it.  BUT, Kaweco now offers a brass version available from Jetpens.com here in a new "Wave" styling.  Brad at the Pen Addict has reviewed this pen and likes it a lot.  (Link Here)  If you're concerned about the weight of the pen, and would like a pen with more heft, consider the brass version.

It goes without saying that this pen is cartridge-fill only.  The much-maligned Kaweco mini-converter might fit, but I would not recommend it.  Instead, pick up some cartridges of Kaweco's great ink, and refill those with a syringe.    

The Liliput is ultraportable.  See here compared to the Kaweco AL Sport.

If I had to choose one "negative" to discuss, I would raise an issue with the nib that I chose.  The tines of my EF nib are cut unevenly, which you can see in the picture below.  This causes the pen to write with slightly more tooth than I would otherwise prefer and to dig into the paper if I catch a wrong angle.  I've not seen the same issue with the Kaweco Medium I own, or the fine or broad nibs that I've tried.  In the future on Kaweco pens, I would probably stick to the absolute basics (F,M,B).    

Overall, the verdict on this pen is positive.  For a pocket pen, It's a definite "recommend," but it's important to keep the "pocket pen" part in mind.  This pen was not designed to take 20 pages of longhand notes in a sitting or write a novel.  I'm glad to have it as part of my Kaweco collection.  

The nib slit looks unevenly cut on this pen.  I'll probably purchase a new nib eventually, and switch to the smoother writing fine or medium.  Kaweco nibs are interchangeable, at least for the Sport and Liliput models. 

Scan of handwritten review in Kaweco Ruby Red, and ink I've grown to love but a discussion of which is outside the scope of this review.

Scan of handwritten review in Kaweco Ruby Red, and ink I've grown to love but a discussion of which is outside the scope of this review.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT:  To all of those who participated in my giveaway last week, check the comments of that post to see if you've won!  I've only heard from two of my four winners and if I don't hear from the other two by Sunday I'm going to have to pick two new ones.