Many thanks to Vanness Pens for sending over samples of these five Robert Oster inks to review!

Ink Brand Profile: Discovering Robert Oster Inks

October 8, 2016

The past few years have seen numerous new ink brands launch or expand successfully. KWZ, Bookbinder's, Blackstone, and Robert Oster - as well as older, "boutique" brands such as Papier Plume, Callifolio, and Akkerman - are now easily available to fountain pen enthusiasts via multiple online retail channels. Just six years ago, when I first got back into this hobby after years away, if you wanted colors other than the standard blue, black, blue-black, green, purple, or red, you were stuck with Noodler's or Private Reserve.

All of these new options are changing the ink market for the better. When Vanness Pens offered to send me some samples of the Robert Oster inks, I jumped at the chance because I was intrigued by the idea of this newer company offering over 40 different colors of ink right out of the gate. Plus I liked what I'd already heard from other reviewers, so I was eager to test some of the Robert Oster inks myself.

The Company

The Robert Oster website doesn't provide much information on the company itself, only that it's based in "one of the most famous wine producing regions, the Coonawarra District of South Australia." Robert Oster currently lists 10 global retailers that stock its products. The inks themselves are intended to represent "a genuine inventory of the Australian palette."

The Inks and My Overall Impressions

Robert Oster offers some genuinely unique colors, the names of which pay tribute to various Australian landmarks (i.e., Bondi Blue). The five inks that I've been testing over the past couple of weeks include: Tranquility (a deep turquoise/teal blue); Green Lime (a bright "electric" green); Khaki (what I'd call an "army green"); Direct Sun (a reddish orange, or orangish-red); and Claret (which is self-explanatory; it's the color of red wine).

Another shot of all five ink samples in my Hobonichi Techo journal. From the top, Direct Sun, Tranquility, Khaki, Lime Green, and Claret. This shot really shows off the depth of the Tranquility; I wasn't as big of a fan of the Claret on the Hobonich… — Another shot of all five ink samples in my Hobonichi Techo journal. From the top, Direct Sun, Tranquility, Khaki, Lime Green, and Claret. This shot really shows off the depth of the Tranquility; I wasn't as big of a fan of the Claret on the Hobonichi paper. I thought it looked too brown.

All of these inks are excellent, and I tested them in a wide variety of pens, with both gold and steel nibs. The two inks that I've used the most are Tranquility and Direct Sun, but that's only because things at work have been absolutely nuts this week and blues and reds get the most "official" use. What strikes me the most is the combination of vibrancy of the colors and good behavior (i.e., quick dry time, lack of feathering and bleed-through). If I had to pick favorites and purchase two bottles out of these samples, I'd go with Tranquility and Green Lime. Tranquility is a deep Turquoise color that shades beautifully and has darker teal undertones, depending on the light. Green Lime simply because I've got a thing for bright green inks now, and this ink looks great in my Franklin-Christoph fine italic.

A close-up shot of Tranquility, this time on Calepino pocket notebook paper. The pen is a Diplomat Aero with a medium nib.

Companies like Robert Oster and KWZ have figured out how to offer an expansive color palette without oversaturating their inks and running into the same smearing and bleeding problems as brands like Noodler's and Private Reserve. If you're a fountain pen user looking to expand your color horizon, I'd go directly to brands like Robert Oster and save yourself the aggravation. I can't wait to try out another round of these inks. Right now, I'm looking at Astorquiza Rot, Gold Antiqua, and Verde de Rio, among others.

Here's another "action shot" of Robert Oster Tranquility, Khaki, and Claret on Calepino notebook paper. This picture shows off the shading a bit better than some of the other writing samples, especially in the Tranquility and Khaki.

Where to Buy

Robert Oster's website lists its global resellers, so where you buy may depend on where you are located. Personally, I received these ink samples from Vanness Pens in the United States, and I purchase a large amount of ink from them every year (either online or at pen shows). Last time I checked, Vanness Pens had 48 different colors of Robert Oster Ink in stock! You can purchase ink in 50ml bottles or 4ml samples, at $16 and $2 respectively.

If you really, really like a certain color, you can buy 100ml bottles directly from the company itself. Unless you're located in Australia, I'm not sure how that would work out with international shipping. You're likely better off purchasing two 50ml bottles from a retailer like Vanness.

Kickstarter Update: Nock Co. Lanier Briefcase

October 7, 2016

Last I checked, the Kickstarter for the Nock Co. Lanier briefcase was only about $1500 short of unlocking the first stretch goal: new Nock side-stapled notebooks! If you haven't yet backed this project, I'd strongly recommend checking it out, and definitely don't miss Matthew Morse's review over at Nib and Ink.

I'm currently leaning towards the black and aqua colorway, but probably won't make up my mind until I get the backer survey.

Other Projects and New Products to Keep an Eye on:

Pen Vise Kickstarter. An interesting concept out of Japan, but it looks like too much of a specialty drafting tool as opposed to a writing implement that I would get much use out of. The project is about 30% backed with 24 days to go.

Jinhao 599A Fountain Pen (via PenChalet). Despite a somewhat spotty history with Jinhao in the past, I've been very impressed with this $4 pen that Ron is now stocking at Pen Chalet. I have one of the clear demonstrator models, and while I have no idea how durable it will actually be over the long term, it's a more than serviceable knockaround pen that writes well. I've been using it on and off this week for editing and testing inks. (Affiliate Link).

All photos in this review are courtesy of Nock Co.

Otto Hutt uses very simple, minimal branding on their pens, and I find their matte finish both gorgeous and comfortable to hold.

Pen Review: Otto Hutt Design 06

October 5, 2016

Germany has several high-end pen companies whose products rarely make it to this side of the Atlantic, and if they do, they are imported in such small quantities that they are difficult to find and rarely reviewed online. Retailers who stock some of these brands don't promote them heavily. I'm talking about brands like Otto Hutt, Cleo Skribent, Diplomat, and - until recent years - Kaweco, Faber-Castell and Graf von Faber-Castell. I was contacted a couple months ago by representatives of Pen Heaven, a UK-based online retailer, asking whether I would be interested in collaborating with them on a review. The design of the Otto Hutt pens intrigued me, and they agreed to send me one of the pens for review.

Background and Brief History

Otto Hutt packaging is very functional, and somewhat similar to Lamy (though not as minimalist). There are no flashy wood or metal boxes, just cardboard/foam packaging that is sturdy enough to protect the pen while looking nice.

As I mentioned, Otto Hutt is a German pen manufacturer based in Pforzheim, a town known for its jewelry. According to the Company's website, Otto Hutt has been in business since the 1920s, and originally specialized in writing implements made from silver. The current Otto Hutt lineup features seven fountain pens ("Design 01" through "Design 07"), along with ballpoint and rollerball offerings. The pen I'm reviewing here is "Design 06", which is one step below the "flagship" of the Otto Hutt line, the "Design 07."

Nib

I found the detailing on this nib really attractive. I like the understated Otto Hutt logo.

The nib is the star of the show here. Otto Hutt uses nibs said to be manufactured by Peter Bock AG, which are stamped with the Otto Hutt logo. The nib on my pen is exceptionally smooth, and even has a bit of softness to it. Normally, there's no mistaking a steel nib for a gold nib, but this one could easily pass for a two-toned rhodium-plated gold nib. Even better, the alignment on the nib was perfect, and there were no variations in ink flow during multiple all-day writing sessions. The nib writes what I'd consider to be a "true medium" line.

Build

The pen's compact design and good balance helps offset the weight of the metal construction.

The Design 06 sports a compact, Bauhaus-inspired design (per the Otto Hutt website), and I've enjoyed the classic matte black / chrome color scheme. The pen also comes in red and pink, with the pink pen featuring rose gold trim. The latter color combination is especially pretty.

The finish and tolerances on this pen are top notch. The cap and body line up perfectly flush with each other, the pen has no rough edges, and the lacquer finish is flawless. All of these place my Otto Hutt a notch above pens I've used from Diplomat (or even Lamy). Perhaps my favorite thing about this pen is that the threads are cut so that it takes only a single turn to screw or unscrew the cap, which closes securely. The pen also has a spring-loaded clip, which easily attaches to a shirt pocket.

Otto Hutt has its roots in metalworking, so this is a metal pen. The section is polished stainless steel, and has an hourglass-shape to prevent slippage. The body of the pen is also metal (probably brass or steel), and is coated in a thick matte lacquer. Unlike other metal pen bodies I've reviewed in the past - the Lamy Studio is the one that comes to mind - the matte black coating is thickly and evenly applied, so there appears to be little risk of it chipping or flaking off. I can't find a single flaw in the finish on the Design 06. I consider it a step up from pens like the Studio and the Diplomat Aero. While I like those models, I'm often able to find flaws (chips, flaking, scratches, etc.) in the finish of otherwise brand-new pens.

Because it's metal, the Design 06 is a relatively heavy pen. But despite its heft, the pen is still very comfortable to use. My review notes and initial draft of this post took me over an hour and spanned three handwritten pages (Clairefontaine French-ruled paper), yet I had no hand fatigue. I found the pen to be exceptionally well-balanced, even when posted.

Pricing and Value

Otto Hutt pens featuring a steel nib are generally priced anywhere from $100-200, while gold-nibbed pens run in the $400-800 range. The pricing is fairly standard for German pens of this quality, and I would say that it's comparable to the pricing on Graf von Faber-Castell pens. Caran d'Ache is another pen company with a similar pricing structure, though CdA is based in Switzerland and not Germany.

Takeaways

This pen is a big winner for me. Normally, I'm not a fan of steel-nibbed pens making their way north of the $130 mark, BUT I will make exceptions where the manufacturer clearly has put a significant amount of effort into making a nib both write exceptionally well and look good. That is certainly the case here, and this pen is as nice a writer as any gold nib pen that I own - out of the box and without any modifications, I might add. Otto Hutt pens are not cheap, but I'd be willing to pay the premium for quality. Given how good of an experience I had with the Design 06, I'm already looking to add another Otto Hutt pen to my collection.

There is a bit of a "step-down" from the barrel to the section, but since I tend to grip my pen towards the front (i.e., at the nib-end of the section), the step didn't bother me.

As a side note, I think I may be the first pen blogger to review an Otto Hutt pen! In case you haven't noticed, I was excited to write this review. As fountain pens experience a bit of a "renaissance," and more and more people pay attention to pens online through blogs, forums, etc., it's increasingly rare to find lesser-known high-quality brands.

Where to Buy

Very few, if any, U.S.-based retailers carry the full Otto Hutt line. As I mentioned above, Pen Heaven, a UK-based retailer, graciously sent me this pen for review purposes. Pen Heaven stocks all of the various Otto Hutt models, along with pens from Faber-Castell, Graf von Faber-Castell, Lamy, Kaweco, Diplomat, and more. The pen arrived beautifully wrapped and packed, along with a personalized note, which is a touch that I always appreciate.

If you're interested in ordering the same pen featured in this review (Otto Hutt Design 06), the link can be found here.

Disclaimer: Pen Heaven provided me with this pen free of charge, for review purposes.

From left: Field Notes Pencil, Palomino Blackwing 602, Palomino HB, Dixon Ticonderoga, and a vintage Faber-Castell American.

My Five Favorite Pencil Posts

October 1, 2016

I use pencils every day. In fact, if I think about it, the pencil is probably my most-used writing implement after the fountain pen, but for some reason I've struggled to fit pencil-related content into the rotation here at TGS. I hope to change that soon, but in the meantime, I've pulled some of my favorite pencil posts from the archive for your enjoyment.

Pencils! Pick Five. Where I take a look at the Palomino HB, the Palomino Blackwing 602, the Dixon Ticonderoga HB, the vintage Faber-Castell American, and the Field Notes Pencil. Of these five, the Palomino HB and the Blackwing 602 see weekly, if not daily, use.
Pencils! Five More. A brief review of the Dixon Ticonderoga Laddie, the Staedtler Wopex, the General's Semi-Hex #2, the General's Cedar Pointe #2, and a vintage Dixon Oriole #2.5. Of these five, the Dixon Ticonderoga Laddie and the Cedar Pointe get the most love.
Palomino Golden Bear. Still my favorite budget pencil. I have these stashed in the pencil cup on my desk at work as "loaners." At $3 per dozen, they're a steal (and yes, they get "stolen" all the time).
Ticonderoga Laddie. I eventually did a longer review of the Laddie, which is still my favorite "mini-Jumbo" Pencil. I've also heard good things about the Laddie Tri-Write, if you're into triangular pencils, but I have such a large stash of the original there's no need for me to buy more.
The Mongol Reborn. Papermate makes a version of the classic Mongol pencil for the Venezuelan market. They aren't exceptional pencils, but the nostalgia factor makes them kinda cool.

I'm back from vacation as of tomorrow, so look for things to get back to normal this week. Thanks for reading, and I hope you've enjoyed some of these posts you may have missed the first time around!

I reviewed this Pelikan M600 early on, and it's one of the pens that stuck in the rotation, along with my Montblanc 146.

TBT The Early Days of The Gentleman Stationer: Montblanc, Pelikan and More

September 28, 2016

I spent some of my mornings over the past couple of days reading back through the early posts on the blog. It was fun to watch how my review style and photography changed over time (for the better, mostly), and also really informative to see how certain pens I thought would make it in to the "regular rotation" ended up getting sold off for one reason or another. For those of you who are new to the blog, here are some links to older reviews that you may have missed the first time around, plus some updated impressions of certain pens.

Montblanc 146 Review. The first big pen review that I did on the blog, of a pen that's still a stalwart in my collection. This nib and I have had a love-hate relationship, to the point where I went to sell it a couple times but ended up pulling it off the market. For now, it's back in my good graces, thanks to Mike Masuyama. I eventually need to do an updated review.
Omas 360. A pen that I wish I still had, if only for posterity's sake, now that Omas has gone out of business. I've had a few Omas pens pass through my hands over the past several years, but none of them stuck mainly because I found the nibs too wet for my taste.
My Favorite Field Notes: Drink Local Ales. Still my favorite Field Notes Colors edition. I've sold off the majority of my Colors stockpile, because most of the paper is not very functional for the types of pens that I use, but I've got a nice little stash of the editions that I do like, including these.
Retro Pens from High School and College. I remember having a lot of fun writing this one. Believe it or not, some of these pens are still available fifteen or twenty years later, so I've added links to where you can find them today.
Pelikan Souverain M600. I have a Pelikan M800 that I absolutely love, but I firmly believe that the M600 is the right size Pelikan for "most people." I still use mine all the time (though I've added a custom "Concord Turk" grind from Mark Bacas). I've updated my purchasing recommendations for this pen to reflect changes in the fountain pen marketplace over the past couple of years. If you are looking to purchase a Pelikan with the nib tuned and/or custom ground, I'd recommend purchasing from Dan Smith (The Nibsmith), whose turnaround time is excellent.