The pens that Bryant Greer of Chatterly Luxuries brought to this year's DC Pen Show.

2016 D.C. Pen Show Recap: Friday and Saturday

August 7, 2016

This year’s Washington D.C. Fountain Pen Supershow might have been the craziest pen show I’ve attended to date. Not so much in terms of crowds, but more in terms of the energy in the room and the enthusiasm shown by all the attendees. Needless to say, I’m absolutely exhausted, so there’s not going to be a links post this weekend, and Digital Divide will have to wait until next week. Instead, you all get to enjoy my pictures from the show, along with a brief recap.

Friday

Brian and Lisa Anderson of Anderson Pens with their assortment of Sailors.

Friday was your typical Friday at a pen show. The show was well-attended, but I wouldn’t say it was overcrowded. To get in on Friday, you have to purchase a weekend pass, which costs $45, and I think it’s worth it to “get first crack at the good stuff” before the crowds arrive on Saturday morning and it becomes a fight to get in front of some of the more popular tables like Anderson Pens, Franklin-Christoph, and Vanness Pens. It's also easier to get an appointment for nib work with Mike Masuyama or Dan Smith on Friday. Unless you arrive extremely early on Saturday, you can forget about getting nib work done.

Franklin-Christoph also had their customary trays of new prototypes that were snatched up first thing on Friday and Saturday morning.

I did my major pen shopping on Friday. I scored the only Visconti Homo Sapiens Dark Ages in extra fine that Bryant Greer of Chatterly Luxuries brought with him, much to the dismay of some. I also picked up a Vintage Pelikan M400 with a sweet oblique medium nib that wrote like a dream and did not need any work whatsoever. Finally, right before the show closed, I picked up a matte black Diplomat Aero, a pen that I’ve been eyeing for some time. I'll do a full review at some point, but this pen has one of the smoothest JoWo steel nibs I've ever written with.

Kobe-Nagasawa brought 57 colors of Sailor Ink to the D.C. Pen Show, and were sold out of many of those colors by the end of the day on Friday.

I also bought some ink. One of the big surprises of this year’s DC Pen Show was the appearance of Kobe Nagasawa, operators of a large department store in Japan, along with 50+ varieties of Sailor inks that Sailor makes especially for them. The Kobe inks are sometimes available through eBay sellers, but in general they are difficult to find outside of Japan. I picked up two colors: #6 (“Bordeaux”) and #9 (“Suma Purple”). Next, I paid a visit to the Anderson Pens table to grab a bottle of Montblanc Toffee Brown and the new Montblanc Ultra Black Special Edition Ink, which is a really interesting black ink that has some blue and green undertones to it.

Saturday

Since I blew it out on Friday, I took it somewhat easy on Saturday and limited myself to nib work. Good thing, too, because the show was so crowded it was difficult to navigate at times. I had Mike Masuyama tune the nib on my Visconti Homo Sapiens, and grind the nib on my Montblanc Heritage 1912 to a fine cursive italic, which gives the pen exceptional line variation.

Mike Masuyama happily grinding away. As usual, Mike stayed busy all day.

One of the highlights of the afternoon was getting to spend some time with Ernest Shin of Hakumin Urushi Kobo. Ernest stopped by the show to drop a pen off for my friend Thomas, and brought along some pens from his personal collection, all of which were hand lacquered by Ernest himself. There were some gorgeous pieces. Ernest accepts work on commission, and also works with Brian Gray of the Edison Pen Company.

Ernest has been perfecting his craft for years. The detail and craftsmanship in his pens is outstanding. This picture does not do his work justice, as the lighting in the ballroom was terrible.

More Later

Sunday was pretty quiet, though I’ll have some additional updates later, along with a report on the “after-hours” pen show scene in the hotel bar. I saw some crazy (pen-related) stuff! Here's a gallery of additional fun pictures from Friday and Saturday at the show.

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links to companies who sponsor or advertise on this blog.

I'm pretty stocked up and don't need to go shopping, but if you do, I hope this list is helpful.

Back to School and Back to Work: Stationery for Any Task

August 6, 2016

I don’t know about you, but I find it hard to believe that schools are ALREADY back in session in certain parts of the country (even if research shows that shorter breaks are more conducive to learning). And now that the summer vacation season is also coming to a close, many of us are getting ready to head back to work as well. My daughter’s not yet old enough to have to worry about that, but it still doesn’t mean you can’t have fun getting geared up for the fall. Here are a few of my “picks” for restocking your desk, backpack, or briefcase, whichever the case may be.

Gel/Ballpoint Pens. Don't be caught using a pen from someone else's dentist's office in your next meeting or class. Even if all you want/need is an inexpensive click pen, there are better, more reliable options.

Uniball Jetstream. For all you ballpoint fans out there, you can't go wrong with Uniball's hybrid-ink Jetstream.
Pilot G2 or Uni Signo 207. I love the G2, and consider it one of the smoothest writing pens around, but some people find them too wet.
If you'd like a longer list of options, and especially if you're into ultra-fine point Japanese gel pens, check out this list for further reading.

Fountain Pens. If you're a regular reader of this blog, there are endless options out there for selecting the perfect fountain pen in any price range for any purpose. If you pushed me to make off-the-top-of-my-head recommendations, however, I would go with:

Work or School: Pilot Metropolitan. I continue to be impressed with the Metropolitan. This is a pen that has made its way in and out of my collection over the years, as I tend to give them away to friends, family, and coworkers who express interest in fountain pens. Available in both a fine and a medium, Pilot's steel nibs are exceptionally smooth and the quality control is top notch. The Metropolitan comes with a converter included, so you are ready to use bottled ink.
Heavy Notetakers: If you prefer a pen that accepts ink cartridges, go with the Pilot Metropolitan. However, the TWSBI Eco would be an excellent option for a college student that needs an ink tank.
A Bit More Money: If you're in the "back to work" crowd and looking for an understated pen that won't look out of place at the office, the Lamy 2000 is always a good bet.
Further reading for pen recommendations at various price points.

Fountain Pen Ink. Unfortunately, if you're a fountain pen user in today's world, you need to pay attention to the ink you use on the cheaper papers most commonly found in today's offices and schools. I tend to stick with Pilot and Sailor inks for my everyday writing.

Pilot Blue-Black. An often overlooked, versatile ink that is easily available in cartridges (for your Metropolitan), and in VERY LARGE bottles as well if you can find a vendor who will source it from overseas.
Sailor Ink. Sailor's line of ink is reasonably priced, and the entire line is available at most major pen retailers, including our sponsors at Anderson Pens, Pen Chalet, and Vanness Pens.
Note that both Sailor and Pilot cartridges are proprietary, meaning that they will only work in Sailor and Pilot Pens, respectively.

Paper (Looseleaf/writing pads). I tend to prefer tear-off writing tablets (8.5 x 11 inch letter size), because I can either leave the pages attached (when I have a one-subject pad) or tear them out to punch holes and stick them in a binder. My choices here are the same for work or school.

Rhodia Ice Pad (Grid). I prefer grid/graph paper to lined paper because I find it much more versatile. For fountain pen-friendly paper, Rhodia is one of the better values, and I enjoy the white pad with the grey lines. I've gotten more "where did you get THAT?!" comments at work from this pad of paper than any other piece of stationery I carry.
Staples Sustainable Earth. When I don't want to spend a ton of money, Staples' sugarcane-based Sustainable Earth paper is my go to option, and I always have these in my desk drawer at the office. They handle most fountain pen inks decently, especially with Japanese fine or medium nibs. Unfortunately they are getting hard to find in-store at Staples, so I order them online.

Writing Notebooks. Whether you use them for note-taking, writing your rough drafts, or journaling, you need some good notebooks in your kit. Here's what's normally in my carry.

Leutchturm 1917. The "black bound notebook with better paper."
Baron Fig Confidant. A lay-flat clothbound notebook that is exceptional to use with pencil, and works fine with most fountain pens as long as they are not too wet.
Clairefontaine. A colorful option that's probably better for school than the office (though I use them for both), Clairefontaine is the gold standard for fountain pen-friendly notebooks. They come in both clothbound, staple-bound, and spiral-bound.

Pocket Notebooks. You'll also need a good pocket notebook to capture thoughts, make quick lists, and serve as a scratchpad. I always have at least four on me. (Don't ask.)

Nock Co. Dot Dash. Staple-bound reporter-style notebooks that I've been using a lot lately. The paper quality is very good, and handles most fountain pen ink well.
Baron Fig Vanguard. Formerly called "the Apprentice", these pocket notebooks use the same great paper found in the Confidant.
Field Notes. The ubiquitous staple-bound pocket notebook that you can find at stores in most cities. The paper is not the greatest for fountain pens, but if you're a ballpoint/pencil user, these colorful little notebooks are a lot of fun to use (and collect).

Planners. Even if you're not a "planner person," consider one of these. I don't use planners in the traditional sense, and use my iPhone to handle my schedule, but I still find it very handy to keep a "date book" to log certain things and do short form journaling. My recommendations here would be the same for work or for school:

A5 Filofax. My go-to when I was in college/university because of how customizable it is. If you don't want to shell out the money for an actual Filofax, Day Runner is another option that I've used, especially when I was in school.
Hobonichi Techo. My current choice, that serves a combination of personal and professional uses. The One-page-per-day format works if you don't have a crazy, ever-changing schedule. You may want to hold out and start this one in January, as the 2017 version has just been announced.
Traveler's Notebook. Many people use the Midori planner insert for the Traveler's Notebook so they can use it as a combined planner/daily writer.

Wood case Pencils. I typically reach for a woodcase pencil before a ballpoint pen, especially if I'm editing or I need to write very small. Pencils are in the midst of what seems like a renaissance, with new products being issued regularly. My current stalwarts are:

Palomino Blackwing 602. Based off of the classic Eberhard Faber pencil, and emblazoned with the slogan "Half the pressure, twice the speed," Palomino's version of the Blackwing 602 holds a point for a very long time, while still leaving a dark line.
Forest Choice. A super-cheap, very high-quality pencil that will make you abandon your Ticonderogas for good.

Mechanical Pencils. If mechanical pencils are more your style, Rotring and Uni tend to have the high-end market cornered at the moment.

Rotring 600. The classic hexagonal barrel, German-made mechanical pencil. If you need one mechanical pencil, this is it.
Uni Kuru-Toga. The Kuru-Toga has a proprietary mechanism that rotates the lead as you write, keeping the point sharp. An excellent, relatively inexpensive mechanical pencil option.

Of course, there are many, many more options for all of these categories, but I thought it would be a fun little exercise to compile this list of recommendations since everyone's getting ready to bring summer to a close (prematurely, IMHO). Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: This post contains affiliate links.

A selection of pens from the Edison Pen Company at last-year's D.C. Pen Show.

Pen Travel: D.C. Pen Show Prep 2016

August 3, 2016

It's that time of year again, folks! The Washington, D.C. Fountain Pen Supershow will be held this coming weekend, and I'm in the throes of Pen Show Prep. If you're completely unfamiliar with pen shows, you can check out the three-part "Pen Show Primer" series I did earlier this year:

Packing for a Pen Show

The essentials are comfortable shoes, a camera, and cash. Since I'm going for all four days this year (getting my money's worth out of that $45 weekend pass), I'm probably going to have to pack differently than I normally do. I'm not about to check a bag on the way there (airline fees = less money to spend at the show), but I'll have to be smarter about what I choose to take with me in order to account for extra clothes and some work I'll have to bring along (bleh). Some other things you don't want to be without:

Backpack. Better ergonomics than an over-the-shoulder messenger bag. (I like my North Face Surge because it has lots of pockets). You'll have a bag with you all day walking the show floor so make sure whatever bag you bring isn't too big and has comfortable straps. You can always opt for a fishing vest. Or maybe just a fishing vest pin.
Expandable Rolling Duffel. Expandable because I'll almost certainly come back with more stuff than I left with, and depending on how much ink I purchase, I may have to check a bag on the way home. For the record, people worry about packing bottles of ink in a carry on, but in years of pen-related travel, I've not had an issue with the TSA. Most bottles of fountain pen ink are less than 3.4 fluid oz/100ml. Still, don't push your luck if you decide to buy the entire line of Iroshizuku.
Paper. Some vendors will have paper that you can use to test pens, but it's always a good idea to bring a sample of your own paper - preferably the same paper that you will be writing with at work or home. Some people recommend that you bring a bottle of "safe ink" to dip pens to test how they write, but I've not done this in recent years because (1) most vendors of modern pens have "tester pens" for you to use and (2) many vintage dealers won't let you dip pens.
Pens to Share. The hotel bar is an active scene every night, and the D.C. Pen Show Sheraton is no exception. For the last few years, they've had a few long tables where people gather to show off that day's finds or share pens from their collections at home.
Pens and Ink to Sell. If you know other collectors/enthusiasts who are going to be at the show, it's a great opportunity to sell or trade pens. Note that it's not always the best deal to try to "trade" or "sell" pens to dealers at the show, because they are typically looking to buy for resale, not for their own use, and therefore won't offer the best price.

What to Buy at a Pen Show

I've slowed my pen acquisitions/purchasing substantially, and I want to limit show purchases to no more than one or two pens. Here's what's on my radar:

Visconti. I've had my eye on a Homo Sapiens for a while now, but I'm not sure which model. If I could find a gently used pen in decent condition, I'd jump at it.
Diplomat. Everyone is raving about the Diplomat Aero. I've been tempted by this pen before but have never given serious consideration to this less well-known German pen company.
Ink and Paper. Pen shows are a great way to save on shipping for heavier items, such as ink and paper. Both Anderson Pens and Vanness Pens will be in attendance at this year's DC Pen Show, and both bring a massive selection of ink to browse. Every major ink brand should be represented.
Nib Work. I don't have any pens that necessarily need work done this year, but if I end up buying new pens (and I'm sure I will), they'll likely need to be tuned. Dan Smith of The Nibsmith is working his first D.C. Pen Show, so I'll try to get a slot at his table.

Contact Info and Events I'm Attending

If you're going to be at the show, I'd love to meet up. I can be reached through the "Contact Me!" link on the site, via Twitter (@vintagegntlmn), or instagram (@gentlemanstationer). I will be attending Thursday, August 4 through Sunday, August 7, and will be at most of the major events. You can find the official show schedule here. Highlights include a beer and wine welcome party and a meetup organized by the Pen Addict, Vanness Pens, and Fountain Pen Day on Friday night.

Seminars will be offered throughout the weekend, including a Copperplate Calligraphy workshop with Deborah Basel from 9am to 1pm on Friday, Richard Binder's nib-smoothing workshop at 8:30am on Sunday, and the Pens for Kids Workshop at 2:00pm on Sunday.

Pen Review: The Aurora Optima Nero Perla

July 30, 2016

Aurora is one of the three remaining major Italian pen companies, now that Omas is out of business. It's also a company with which I have relatively little experience, at least with respect to their fountain pens. I'm a huge fan of Aurora's inks: they make two colors, black and blue, and both are among my go-tos for safe, standard colors. I've owned an Aurora Ipsilon Quadra in Sterling Silver, and while the pen was nice, it didn't stick in my collection.

Recently, my friend Thomas decided to unload a few pens in his collection, and asked whether or not I would be interested in reviewing one of Aurora's flagship pens, the Aurora Optima, before he sold it. I've always wanted to test drive one of these pens, so I jumped at the chance.

"Auroloide" material and Build

The Aurora Optima Nero Perla is a visually stunning pen. The material (which the company refers to as "Auroloide") is cellulose acetate: an acrylic variant intended to reproduce the depths of color and warmth found in vintage celluloid, but without the long curing period and manufacturing difficulties. Indeed, the Optima feels like a celluloid pen in hand. The material is slightly translucent, allowing you to see the ink level once the pen is filled. This particular color scheme is called "Nero Perla" ("Black Pearl"). Trim appears to be a combination of sterling silver and Rhodium plating, and the piston-filling system gives the pen heft.

This pen feels solid, like it will stand up to heavy use. The one critique I have on the build, however, is how difficult the pen is to clean. Aurora's piston fillers have a "hidden reservoir" of ink behind the piston, which they pitch as a feature that allows you to write for a full page after the main ink chamber is empty. I can see this feature being useful if you carry one pen, and take a lot of notes in meetings, etc. where you wouldn't want to run out, but it also means that it takes a LOT of flushing to get rid of all the ink. If I had kept this pen, it would've ended up as a "one-ink pen" just to avoid having to deal with the cleaning.

Writing Experience

The Aurora Optima features a 18k nib. This one started life as a medium but has been ground to a cursive italic.

The nib on this Optima was tuned and ground to a smooth .4mm cursive italic by either Mike Masuyama or Shawn Newton - Thomas couldn't remember. (Hey, that happens when you have so many pens!) It's an excellent writer, though I can't speak to how the pen wrote straight out of the box. Other Aurora pens I have tried have been nice writers, though the nibs tend to have feedback. They're not scratchy, but they're not glassy smooth either, which isn't an issue for me but can drive some people crazy.

This .4mm cursive italic (formerly a medium nib) writes perfectly for me.  Ink is Aurora blue. — This .4mm cursive italic (formerly a medium nib) writes perfectly for me. Ink is Aurora blue.

The Optima's 18k nib is a better writer than the nib on my old Aurora Ipsilon Quadra. The nib is stiff, without much give or flex. If you like firm nibs, you'll like this pen.

Takeaways

A close-up of the Optima in its box.  You can get a sense of the translucency of the material if you look just below the cap, where you can tell the pen has been filled with blue ink. — A close-up of the Optima in its box. You can get a sense of the translucency of the material if you look just below the cap, where you can tell the pen has been filled with blue ink.

The Aurora Optima Nero Perla is a gorgeous Italian fountain pen. As a fan of celluloid (and celluloid-like material), I appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into making a pen look this good. At the same time, the price point is very high, even taking into account the recent price drop That's not to say I think the pen is unreasonably priced - it's not, given the quality of the craftsmanship and the materials used - but Sailor's Professional Gear series has a similar shape and fits my hand better at $200 or so less. I do know, however, that there are people out there who find the Pro Gear too small and light, especially when writing with the pen unposted.

Where to Buy

Fortunately, if you're interested in the Optima, Aurora recently dropped the price. Both Pen Chalet and Anderson Pens carry Aurora, and both currently have the Optima listed at $445. Aurora issues annual "special edition" versions of the Optima, so if you're a fan of gold trim, you'll want to check out the "Abissi" Optima 365 Limited Edition.

If you're a fan of cursive italic nibs, and you'd like to purchase a barely-used Aurora, Thomas is offering the pen featured in this review for sale. As of the time of writing, the pen is up on my "For Sale" page and priced to move (especially once you take into account the custom nib, which otherwise would add $40-50 to the price, not to mention the wait time for nib work).

DISCLAIMER: The pen featured in this review was loaned to me at no cost for review purposes. This post contains affiliate links, through which I may be compensated a small amount if you purchase an item from any of the sites linked to in this article. While I'd greatly appreciate it if you use these links to purchase something you are interested in, you are, of course, under no obligation to do so. Many thanks!

Pen and Stationery Websites You Should Be Reading

July 27, 2016

Like any hobby, the online community surrounding stationery and pens can become a bit of an echo chamber at times. The buzz about the latest and greatest "must-have" products is largely driven by a handful of high-traffic sites and blogs that everybody knows about and reads. But sometimes good advice can be found in lesser-known places, whether it's a niche site looking at a specific product or brand in exacting detail, or a site written by someone living in a different part of the world who has access to products unavailable elsewhere. I try to read as broadly as I can, and I've found that it helps me identify potential purchases that will actually work for me, as opposed to those that have become popular or trendy. Here's a list of pen and stationery websites that you should be reading regularly (if you're not already).

Pens!Paper!Pencils! Ian writes an excellent blog that focuses on product reviews from the perspective of the artist, as well as the writer. His drawings are amazing - be sure to check them out.
All Things Stationery. Tessa focuses on much more than just pens. While All Things Stationery is a UK-focused site that brings a unique perspective, Tessa maintains the Stationery Shops Map, which can help you locate a nearby stationery shop wherever you are in the world.
The Finer Point. Another UK-based blog with excellent product reviews.
Fountain Pen Economics. A blog written by Dr. Jonathon Deans, an Australian Economist who writes about pens and, more frequently, the pen industry from his unique professional perspective. If you've ever wondered why certain brands take off and others fail, give this blog a read.
Gorgeous.ink. A relative newcomer, Paul Joynes's blog has excellent photographs and an even better name.
Inkdependence. Mike Matteson reviews ink. Lots of ink. He also has the occasional pen review as well.
The Pelikan's Perch. One of the excellent brand-specific sites that I mentioned, devoted entirely to Pelikan fountain pens, including news on upcoming releases and product reviews. Pelikan's Perch also contains a lot of resources on the history of the brand, various models, etc.
Three Staples. Jinnie devotes her entire blog to reviews of her Field Notes collection. The photography on this blog is something we all aspire to.
On Fountain Pens. Maybelline writes her blog from Singapore, does a lot of reviews, and also has a lot of information about local pen clubs and meetups. Apparently Singapore has a very active pen community!
Too Many Inks. David has over 350 (!) bottles of ink and an exceptional collection of Pelikans, and publishes his notes on various pen/ink combinations as he rotates pens in and out of daily use.

I also follow a relatively large number of other excellent websites that aren't exclusively stationery-focused or updated as often, but contain delightful writing and I look forward to reading them whenever a new post comes out.

Pennaquod. While it's not a stationery website, per se, Ian from Pens!Paper!Pencils! has created a search engine that will comb through an extensive list of pen-related blogs and sites. If you're considering a purchase of a specific pen, and are looking for an easy way to sort reviews, give Pennaquod a try.

Submit and Share!

This list contains links to sites that I read on a regular basis. It is NOT intended to be an exhaustive list, and I've not been compensated by anyone for listing a site here. If you think readers should know about another site that you read regularly, feel free to leave a link in the comments, as long as the site is pen and stationery related, and isn't primarily a store. (Extraneous or irrelevant links will be deleted.) Just to be clear, I'm aware that I haven't included The Pen Addict, Well-Appointed Desk, SBRE Brown, The Clicky Post, Ed Jelley, Gourmet Pens, FP Quest etc. The purpose of this post is to increase exposure for new or different pen and stationery websites that readers may not know about. To that end, please share with anyone who you think may be interested!