My homebrew cigar-box pen chest, made from an old H. Upmann cigar box.

Favorite Pen Cases and Storage Options

February 10, 2016

After you’ve been in this hobby for a while, pen storage becomes an issue, especially if you’ve invested in some valuable writing implements that you care a lot about and want to protect. A wide variety of storage options exists, ranging from the simple single-pen leather sleeve to leather-covered pen trays to 80-pen albums that are reminiscent of those things we old people used to carry our CDs around in (remember those?). I’ll take you through what I consider to be the best options on the market right now, though I’m happy to open up the comments to suggestions of things I missed. (In case you haven’t noticed, I’m also a bit of an organization/storage/productivity nerd.)

One-to-Three Pen Storage

The average person has no need for a pen case that holds more than three pens. The average pen addict is a different story, but even the most ardent pen hoarders among us should have a simple three-pen holster to protect those “daily carry” pens in your briefcase. My personal favorite, and the one I carry everyday, is Nock Co.’s “Lookout” model. I also have one of the leather three-pen cases sold by Anderson Pens, which is a cost-effective and high quality leather option. Finally, I recently picked up some pen wraps from EXB Pens, and I’ve been very happy with this Japanese-style storage option. Look for a review of these at some point in the future.

Certain of the major pen brands such as Visconti and Pelikan also make leather pen cases, but they are more expensive and you will pay a premium. I personally have not felt the need to spend a lot of money when there are high quality storage options available at lower price points. I would note, however, that a lot of people seem to be very happy with the Visconti cases.

Nock Co. Lookout with Field Notes Pocket Notebook for scale.

If you’re into carrying pocket notebooks or notecards alongside your pens, then check out Nock Co.’s Fodderstack, Hightower, and Sinclair models.

Five-to-Twelve Pen Storage

Still portable, but large enough to handle the entire collection of most “normal” people. To get a quality pen case this large, you probably will be looking at spending more money, but if you have a collection that is larger than you can carry at any given time, it’s worth the investment. On the smaller (and less expensive) side, the Nock Co. Brasstown is a combination pen case/pen roll, that has room for six pens in the “roll” portion and some room for additional pens and accessories on the side. Anderson Pens again offers some cost-effective leather options, including 6-12 pen envelopes and zippered “portfolio-style” cases. Finally, for those of you that also like to carry around a lot of gel pens, pencils, sharpeners, and office accessories, people really like the Lihit Labs series of cases.

On the higher-end, I highly recommend both Franklin-Christoph and Aston Leather products. I do not own the Franklin-Christoph “Penvelope” or one of their covered pen trays, but I have seen these items in person at pen shows and they are gorgeous. Both have been added to “the list”. Currently, my vintage and celluloid pens not in use are stored in two Aston Leather 10-Pen cases that I purchased from Goulet Pens years ago. The leather is exceptionally high quality and these cases age really well. I also use these cases to transport pens to shows or meet-ups.

Aston leather 10-pen folio (though I've found you can easily get 14 pens into this case).

Mass Storage Options

Here is where you may have to get creative. If you’re a true collector (or you just own a LOT of pens), you really do need a convenient way to organize and archive them. The default storage option for most people is one of the large “album-style” pen cases that can hold anywhere from 24-80 pens. These cases are a fixture at pen shows, as they offer an easy way for dealers to protect and transport their inventory. Multiple options exist. Check out these offerings from Anderson Pens and Franklin-Christoph.

I haven’t gone this route (at least not yet). The 10-pen Aston Leather cases hold the majority of my pens, but for my overflow, I built my own storage solution out of an old cigar humidor and some faux velvet-lined plastic pen trays. The result is a two-tiered wooden pen chest that I’m extremely pleased with. While you can purchase cigar box pen cases pre-assembled, like these from Bama Pens, you might find it fun to make your own. Cigar stores usually sell empty boxes for a nominal price, and you can source the inserts online. (I purchased mine from Pendora Pens.)

My cigar box pen chest (personalized with stickers, of course).

Now, ink storage is another issue entirely. I’ve pretty much sworn off all non-sample ink purchases until I burn off some of my stock. Ask me how that’s going in about 10 years.

25 Resources to Jump-Start Your Pen Addiction

February 6, 2016

I get asked a lot: "I want to get into pens, and fountain pens in particular, but it all seems so overwhelming. Where do I start?" This resource is intended to provide a jumping-off point for those who are completely new to fountain pens, and also to give experienced users some new places to enhance their existing knowledge.

What's This All About, Anyway?

If you really have no idea what the difference is between a nib, a feed, and a converter, then start with the basics. You have a lot of reading to do.

Ed Jelly: 8 Reasons Why You Should Write With a Fountain Pen. If you’re just beginning your fountain pen journey, and are wondering what all the fuss is about, this is as good a place as any to start. Ed boils it down to the basics, making this one of the most heavily shared fountain-pen related posts of 2015.
The Goulet Pens Blog: Fountain Pen 101. The “Fountain Pen 101” series contains explanations of terms, instructional videos, and more. A great resource for figuring out which way is up when it comes to fountain pens.
Richardspens.com. This website from nibmeister Richard Binder, though not updated as frequently as it once was, has a lot of valuable information about fountain pen use and collecting. His “Reference Pages” lean heavy towards vintage pens, but the general information is still relevant and valuable no matter what your interest.
Glenn Marcus’s Pen Page. Another nice page, periodically updated, by a veteran pen collector whose tastes run heavily in favor of German and Italian pens. Glenn also writes a lot about the joys of using pens, and has an archive of ink reviews tackling pretty much every brand out there.
The Fountain Pen Network. By far the largest pen forum on the internet. You can learn a lot, though the forums are huge, and it’s very easy to get lost. I wouldn’t recommend that you start here, but once you have a basic understanding of terms, etc., FPN is a valuable resource.
FPGeeks Forum. A sad story. FPGeeks was once an active website that served as a source for reviews, commentary, and pen-industry news. I spent a lot of time there. The main sight has been down for some time, but the forums are still online. Not quite as expansive as FPN, but still a very good resource.
The Art of Manliness Primer on Fountain Pens. Not a true fountain pen website, but AoM has a pretty good article on the basics of writing with a fountain pen. They get it. Plus it’s a pretty great site in that has a lot of interesting resources of topics of general interest.
Pen Chalet. Retailer Pen Chalet has a nice “How To” section on filling and cleaning fountain pens. Fountain pen maintenance is very important if you want your pen to write well and last a long time, so it’s good to know what you’re getting yourself into before you buy.

OK, Here's My Wallet, What do I Buy?

So you've stayed up 'til 3 a.m. reading Fountain Pen Network threads about how it's impossible to find a perfect match to Montblanc's discontinued, Limited Edition "Gandhi" ink, and your eyeballs haven't started to bleed. This is a hobby/black hole you know you want to get into. What do you buy? (TLDR: you could just buy a Pilot Metropolitan—probably the consensus “best first pen”—use it for a while, and skip directly to Ink.)

The Pen Addict: Brad Dowdy's website is a treasure trove of information, but his Top 5 Pens Lists are where you need to start. Brad’s into more than just fountain pens, too.
The Gentleman Stationer. Hey, I’m writing this list--and you're already here--so I don’t feel bad plugging my own stuff. Check out my lists of Top Five Fountain Pens for Beginners, and Top Five Fountain Pens Under $75.
Goulet Pens Top Five Fountain Pens for Newbies. Also check out their Nib Nook and Pen Plaza, which provide photos and writing samples from the fountain pens they stock. If you see something you like, you can buy directly from them.
JetPens: Retailer JetPens has curated a page of beginner-friendly fountain pens, and many of the pens on this list have multiple customer reviews. I’ve always found JetPens’ customer base informed and pretty reliable for purposes of product recommendations, etc.

Stock Up On Ink and Paper

Ink and paper form the lifeblood of the fountain pen hobby.  Sometimes I think I'm in this for the limitless rainbow of ink as I am for the pens. — Ink and paper form the lifeblood of the fountain pen hobby. Sometimes I think I'm in this for the limitless rainbow of ink as I am for the pens.

Now that you have a fountain pen, it’s time to load up on ink and paper. When it comes to choosing the color you are going to write with, the sheer number of colors available can be overwhelming. Here are a few of my favorite resources for narrowing your choices.

Goulet Pens. Again, I'm sending you back to Goulet Pens. They may sell pens now, but they started out as ink and paper specialists. Their Swab Shop allows you to compare color swatches and writing samples from essentially every ink that is readily available on the market. They also sell most major brands of fountain-pen friendly paper. If you can’t find something that you like here, then it may just not exist.
FPN Ink Review Forum. The Fountain Pen Network has numerous highly prolific ink reviewers and, therefore, an extensive archive of ink that has been reviewed. In my early days I regularly spent hours here.
Gourmet Pens. Azizah’s site has excellent, extensively photographed ink reviews that really showcase what each ink will look like wet, as well as when it’s dry on paper. She'll also tell you what it tastes like.
A note on choosing inks: While I’m far from alarmist about the ink I use in my pens, in the interest of full disclose I should warn you that there has been much discussion about whether or not super-saturated (i.e., dye-heavy) inks such as Noodler's and Private Reserve are “safe” to use in all pens. I don’t pretend to understand the science behind it all, but just remember that fountain pen inks are chemical solutions, and if you have an expensive or irreplaceable pen that you care about preserving, exercise caution. This article from Richard Binder more or less summarizes the various arguments people have made for or against these inks.

Join the Community (AKA Full-Blown Addiction)

You have you're pens, ink, paper, and have chosen your FPN handle. What else is there to do other than actually write with your pen(s)? Lots.

The Pen Addict Podcast. You’re listening to a podcast about pens. I have nothing else to say. You’re addicted. It’s like being in a bar at 10:30 am on a Wednesday.
The Pen Habit. An excellent website and Youtube Channel. Matt Armstrong creates both video and written reviews of pens in every price range, from entry-level writers to custom pens costing hundreds of dollars. Your credit card will be angry at you.
SBRE Brown. A massive Youtube channel with dozens upon dozens of video reviews. I’m fairly certain that SBRE Brown has reviewed every readily-accessible pen out there (and more). Some people don’t like his review style, but I’ve always found his videos entertaining and informing.
Pen O'Clock News. A revival of Fountain Pen Radio, formerly associated with FPGeeks, featuring SBRE Brown, Azizah from Gourmetpens, and Eric (from FPGeeks). It's a podcast? Or a YouTube show? Who cares, it's fun.
Fountain Pen Economics. If you’re still reading, you’ve progressed from listening to a podcast about pens, watching pen videos on YouTube, to reading a blog about the economics of the fountain pen industry. (Which, by the way, is incredibly well written, well informed, and interesting. If you subscribe to the Pen Addict website, you will receive access to a mini-podcast featuring Dr. Jonathon Deans, the author of Pen Economics.)
The Well-Appointed Desk. Obviously, you will want to progress from your pen obsession to accessorizing, beautifying and optimizing your office space in its entirety. Ana Reinert reviews plenty of pens and ink, but there’s also a lot more.

Yes, you too will soon have a drawer like this one. I actually have "drawers."  Plural. — Yes, you too will soon have a drawer like this one. I actually have "drawers." Plural.

Go Vintage?

If there aren’t enough modern pens to keep your hands and pocketbook occupied, then you can always dive into the fountain pen “back catalog.” Vintage pens are their own thing: they have their own terminology, their own set of specialist dealers, and (mostly) their own subset of collectors and enthusiasts within the overall pen community. If you're interested in learning more:

My Vintage Pen Primer Series. I've tried to cobble together basic knowledge on a few of the major brands and models of vintage pens. Not intended to be comprehensive, but merely a jumping off point. Part II, Part III, and Part IV here.
Anderson Pens. A retailer that specializes in both vintage and modern fountain pens, and carries a broad range of ink. Brian and Lisa Anderson are Esterbrook specialists, and Esterbrook is a great jumping off point into the vintage pen world.
GoPens.com. A drool-worthy site where you can purchase excellent quality vintage pens for very fair prices. I personally use the site’s back catalogues as a reference when I’m trying to figure out whether something is a good deal, or when I'm trying to price a vintage pen for resale.

Whew! Thanks for reading. Hopefully this was helpful, and I'd appreciate it if you'd share with anyone who you think might be on the brink of diving into the pen hobby. For more similar content, you can subscribe to my site using the link on the right, or follow me on Twitter and Instagram, where I'm slightly more active.

Disclaimer: I was not paid or compensated for including any of the links on this list. These are all resources that I personally use, and have brought me much enjoyment over the years. I hope you all enjoy them as well!

My Newton Shinobi:  two-toned in matte black ebonite and alumilite. — My Newton Shinobi: two-toned in matte black ebonite and alumilite.

Pen Review: The Newton Shinobi

February 3, 2016

I’ve written a lot recently about consolidation, and reducing the number of things that I own, especially pens. This year-long process started after last year’s Atlanta Pen Show, when I had the opportunity to hold and write with dozens of pens, the majority of which had been designed or customized by their owners. I quickly realized that my sprawling collection of mismatched cheap and midrange pens wasn’t bringing me much satisfaction. I was buying pens on a monthly basis, and purchasing whatever my budget allowed that month, rather making less-frequent, well-considered purchases of nicer pens that would bring me more long-term satisfaction. Long story short, after Atlanta, I sold off over a dozen items from my collection and ordered two custom pens: A Scriptorium Balladeer and a Newton Shinobi. I’ve already reviewed the Balladeer, but it’s taken me a while to collect my thoughts on the Shinobi.

Who is this man, Shawn Newton, and what is the Shinobi?

Shawn Newton is the (one) man behind Newton Pens, one of the most innovative pen makers active right now, and an all-around good guy. Shawn is a former art teacher who, in addition to making pens, funds student scholarships via donations and the sale of postcards on his website. Since leaving his teaching job to focus on turning pens full-time, his business has expanded exponentially. Now, not only does Shawn turn all of his pens completely by hand on a lathe, but he's taken the next step and offers intricate filling systems (such as piston fillers and button fillers) in addition to the cartridge/converter systems that come standard with almost all custom pens.

The origin of the Shinobi fountain pen has been discussed in much more detail elsewhere, so rather than rehash all that I’ll focus on my impressions of the pen. But in short, a member of the fountain pen network reached out to Shawn with the idea for the Shinobi, and the design proved so popular that it's taken on a life of its own. Apparently there was much pent-up demand for a cylindrical pen with flat ends and a single facet to act as a roll-stopper.

The Design

The design of my Shinobi is not original. I became enamored with the pen as originally conceived by its designer: a black-matte ebonite pen with a red section, but I didn’t want bright red. Instead, Shawn managed to source some deep, blood-red alumilite. I love the result: From a distance, the pen appears almost solid black, yet up close and uncapped the burgundy section stands out just enough to give it character.

There is a barely perceptible band of deep burgundy alumilite around the middle of the pen.

My Shinobi became the first ebonite pen in my collection. Ebonite is vulcanized hard rubber (the same material they use to make bowling balls). It's highly durable, and was one of the original materials used in fountain pen manufacture. Normally, you see ebonite with a heavy shine. I requested that Shawn not polish the finished pen because I prefer a matte finish, and the result is exactly what I wanted.

A close up of the matte finish on my Shinobi.

Note: one of the first thing you'll notice about ebonite is its distinctive smell. It's hard rubber, and it smells like rubber. Think "car tires". The smell fades after you've had the pen for a while, but be forewarned. Another cool fact is that if you look at a cross-section of ebonite (such as the end of a Shinobi), it looks like a vinyl record.

So far, I've only used this pen with the included converter. Ebonite pens make great eyedroppers, however, and I'm sure that once I've found a suitable ink, I'll go that route. I'm still waiting to decide on an ink that I won't get bored with. This is a rather large pen, and whatever ink I decide to use will be with me for a very long time.

The Nib

Shawn's nibwork is excellent.  I asked him to grind a medium stainless steel nib to a cursive italic.  The ink is Emerald of Chivor, which appears dark here because the nib writes fairly wet. — Shawn's nibwork is excellent. I asked him to grind a medium stainless steel nib to a cursive italic. The ink is Emerald of Chivor, which appears dark here because the nib writes fairly wet.

Shawn uses German JoWo nibs, available in either 14K gold or stainless steel. These are the same nibs used by Edison, Franklin-Christoph, and Scriptorium. (Unless you are providing the penmaker with a specific nib you want them to use for your pen, JoWo nibs are really the only quality nibs that are readily available to small-scale penmakers.) While I have never used a JoWo 14K nib, the steel nibs are consistently very good. They may not offer the most exciting writing experience, but they are dependable writers that also serve as a solid base for nib modifications. See, in addition to being a talented penmaker, Shawn Newton also does nib work. I had him grind the medium stainless steel nib on my Shinobi to a medium (.6mm) cursive italic. The nib provides great line variation while still being a fairly wet writer: perfect for my writing style.

Overall Experience and Takeaways

The Shinobi offers a great writing experience. The balance and weight of this pen is perfect for me. Some people complain about the somewhat steep step-down from the barrel to the section, but this pen fits my hand perfectly. If the barrel/section step is something that you're finicky about, worry not. Shawn can customize every pen to your specifications, and I know more than one person who has asked Shawn to modify the section of the Shinobi to make the grip more comfortable for their particular writing style.

I plan on adding another to my collection sometime in the future, once my wallet recovers from 2015. While I have seen at least one Shinobi with a piston-filling system, as I dive ever deeper in to this hobby, I've come to appreciate the versatility of the cartridge/converter/eyedropper model and am glad that I went with the basic design. At some point I'll add a second Shinobi to my collection, and that pen will likely be clear acrylic, so that I can set it up as an eyedropper and watch the ink slosh around inside.

More so than any other pens I own, my custom pens from Shawn, Renee (of Scriptorium Pens), and Brian Gray (of the Edison Pen Company) are functional pieces of art. These pens are not only a pleasure to use, but they’re visually stunning and make me smile every time I see them on my desk. You can check out more of Shawn's work over at his website.

Ink Sample Saturday: Bung Box Dandyism

January 30, 2016

I've written before about how much I love Sailor Ink, especially certain of the specialty inks Sailor developed for Japanese Retailer Bung Box. A while back, I purchased as many different samples as I could from Vanness Pens, which as far as I know is the only U.S. retailer to carry the Bung Box ink line. Unfortunately, it's taken me a while to get around to testing out these inks.

The first one I inked up was Dandyism, advertised as a green-black. Some have gone so far as to call this a substitute for Montblanc's legendary Racing Green (now discontinued, as all great Montblanc inks eventually are for inexplicable reasons). I won't belabor this review: Dandyism is a great ink but I'm not sure it's worth the money. It's slightly darker than Sailor Epinard or Sailor Tokiwa-Matsu. Tokiwa Matsu (essentially the current version of Epinard) costs more than $20 less per bottle, which to me is too great of a price difference to justify purchasing the Dandyism at $40 a pop. (Note: these pictures make the color difference look somewhat greater than it is IRL. The Dandyism is captured fairly accurately here, but the Epinard appears lighter in the picture than it does to the naked eye.)

Dandyism (top) vs. Epinard/Tokiwa Matsu (bottom).  I know some people are going to say that these are completely different colors, but they're close enough to keep me from paying $40 for a bottle of Bung Box, especially where you could darken u… — Dandyism (top) vs. Epinard/Tokiwa Matsu (bottom). I know some people are going to say that these are completely different colors, but they're close enough to keep me from paying $40 for a bottle of Bung Box, especially where you could darken up the Epinard with a drop of black ink.

Sailor inks almost always work well on cheap paper and have very little feathering or bleedthrough, even with the wettest fountain pen nib. This one is no exception. The pens used for this review are my Lamy 2000 Stainless Steel (Dandyism) and my Scriptorium Pens Balladeer (Epinard).

DISCLAIMER: This post contains affiliate links, through which I may be compensated a small amount if you purchase something from certain sites linked to in this article. While I'd greatly appreciate it if you use these links to purchase an item you are interested in, you are, of course, under no obligation to do so. Many thanks!

The Jinhao X450:  one of the most commonly available eBay fountain pens. — The Jinhao X450: one of the most commonly available eBay fountain pens.

My Thoughts on Cheap eBay Pens

January 27, 2016

A common question that I get from readers, and one of the suggestions that appeared in response to my New Year's Giveaway was "Write a piece on Chinese Pens." By "Chinese Pens," most people are referring to pens sold under certain Chinese brand names (Jinhao and Baoer, among others) and can be purchased for very little money on eBay or Amazon Marketplace. This is something of a misnomer and can be misleading: Many pens are manufactured in China, including pens sold by well-known, established brands such as Monteverde and Conklin. Other pen companies use Chinese-manufactured parts. To avoid confusion, this piece is going to look at the first category (the cheap, mass-produced eBay pens), and give you my thoughts on why I think these pens aren't really worth your time and money.

Chipped enamel finish on Jinhao X450, purchased on eBay.

I've written about Jinhao pens before, when I reviewed the X450. My review wasn't exactly glowing. The main virtue of the Jinhaos (and Baoers, etc.) are the price: these pens are ridiculously cheap. You can find them for sale on eBay for as little as $3.99, shipping included. As you might expect, however, you generally get what you pay for. For under $5, they are, objectively, a "great deal," if you receive a serviceable writer and the merchant doesn't send you pen with chipped enamel finish and a bum cap. (You can guess what happened to me.)

Sure, you can ask for your money back, throw the pen away, pay another $5, rinse and repeat, but at that point I don't see why you wouldn't spring for a $12 Pilot Metropolitan, which in my opinion is the greatest entry level fountain pen available and could very well be the last fountain pen you ever need. Even the Pilot Kakuno writes better than the best-writing Jinhao I have tried. Also, one of the main reasons I am drawn to this hobby is because I don't like disposable pens. When you adopt the mindset that you are only going to purchase $5 fountain pens off of eBay so you don't have to worry about losing or breaking them, or can always throw them away when they stop working, you're forgoing one of the main benefits of using fountain pens: the pen is NOT disposable, but rather becomes something you use daily, and, if you want to foist the expectations onto your children or heirs, something you can pass on and have the next generation use as well. If you want a disposable fountain pen that writes exceptionally well, just pick up a pack of Pilot Varsities.

I think a lot of people, my past self included, see these inexpensive pens on eBay as a way to quickly build a "collection" of fountain pens and have some daily variety at a budget price. There's nothing inherently wrong with this, but I would venture that you can get more satisfaction--and save yourself a LOT of frustration, by growing your collection slowly and spending just a bit more money on a smaller number of pens. One or two slightly more expensive pens purchased from a merchant who can service the product is a better long-term bet than 10 cheap semi-disposable eBay pens.

That said, if you like the aesthetics of these pens (and the Jinhao x750 in frosted black is a nice looking pen), I would recommend that you pay slightly more money and purchase the pen from a merchant like Goulet Pens or HisNibs, which typically inspect the pens before they ship them to ensure they are not defective, and will allow you to do an easy return if you are dissatisfied. (I have not purchased from HisNibs, but the retailer appears to be popular on various pen forums, and the website claims that they fill, test, and, if necessary, adjust all pens prior to shipment.)

Final Note: As to the argument that certain pens available on eBay "look exactly like Montblancs" or "look exactly like Lamy Safaris" at a fraction of the price, as a general matter I don't support trademark infringement, and won't recommend that you purchase those pens for that reason. Nor will I link to those pens directly here. As to why these pens are so cheap, and the implications of supporting the economic model that allows this sort of lowball pricing to exist, I would recommend that you read this article from Fountain Pen Economics.

The opinions expressed here are my own, and I understand that many people might disagree with some (or all) of what I have written. The purpose of this blog is discussion, and I welcome any comments or feedback. As always, thanks for reading!

DISCLAIMER: This post contains some affiliate links, through which I may be compensated a small amount if you purchase something from sites linked to in this article. While I'd greatly appreciate it if you use these links to purchase a pen you are interested in, you are, of course, under no obligation to do so. Many thanks!