Introducing the Baron Fig Askew Confidant Limited Edition

January 31, 2017

Well, Baron Fig did it, for all you doubters out there who met the company's announcement of multiple simultaneous subscription services for as many as four different product lines with skepticism that they could maintain their creative edge. I'm still not sure what, exactly, they're going to be doing with all those limited editions, but the newest version, Askew, makes it clear that it probably won't be boring.

Even the inside cover is hand-colored, with blue ballpoint.

Askew, a collaboration with graphic designer Debbie Millman, is entirely hand drawn, from the inside cover pages to the ruling on the paper itself. Spoiler alert (not really): the hand-drawn lines aren't straight, and on a handful of pages they even cross or devolve into scribbles. Obviously, you're not going to be able to use these pages as you would a typical notebook, but that's clearly not what Ms. Millman and Baron Fig were going for here. The goal of this particular edition is to foster creativity by encouraging people to think "outside the lines." Personally, I really like it, and can see myself using this book as an offbeat journal or for brainstorming sessions.

Everyone has focused on the "usability" of Askew, and whether it was wise for Baron Fig to include this unusual notebook as part of Baron Fig's subscription service. That's a fair question, and one that I've addressed before in my review of the "Black Box" Vanguard notebook. Those who were considering a Confidant subscription, thinking that they would definitely get a standard notebook each quarter - as in, one they can use to take notes at work - may now have to reconsider whether they want to subscribe or purchase on a "wait & see" basis. Of course, Baron Fig could always avoid the issue by doing what Field Notes does - offer subscribers the opportunity to exchange the Limited Edition notebook for a standard Confidant of their choice, if they so choose.

The vibrant violet color of this notebook really changes things up for Baron Fig. I like it, especially the red bookmark.

What's more interesting to me here is the collaboration aspect of this edition, and what it says about Baron Fig's prospects. Debbie Millman is a big deal in the design community: She hosts the wildly popular "Design Matters" podcast, and has been a guest on many other well-known podcasts, including the Tim Ferriss Show. That Baron Fig is attracting collaborators like Ms. Millman bodes well for the future, and I'm excited to see what else they have lined up.

Where to Buy

You can buy the Askew Limited Edition via Baron Fig's website for $20. If you're interested in subscribing to the Confidant quarterly subscription service (or one of the others that Baron Fig offers), you can do so here.

Disclaimer: Baron Fig sent me this product for review purposes at no charge.

Pen Review: Pelikan M800 Souverain Burnt Orange Special Edition

January 28, 2017

I guess it's time that I finally got around to reviewing this pen, seeing that I've been talking about it for nearly a year since I bought it at last year's Atlanta Pen Show. The Pelikan Souverain M800 is one of the more iconic modern pens, and certainly one of the best known and most easily recognizable modern German pens. While the (much) larger M1000 holds the title as the largest Pelikan available, I regard the M800 as Pelikan's "flagship." Over the past several years, Pelikan has issued "limited" and "special" editions of the M800 in colors and materials outside the standard lineup. The pen featured in this review, the "Burnt Orange" edition, is one of those pens.

Size and Construction

The Pelikan M800 is a well-built workhorse that will last you a lifetime. It has a brass piston mechanism, which gives the pen some heft and a nice balance in the hand. The piston turns smoothly and holds just under 1.5ml of ink, which is more than enough to get me through a week of intense writing at work.

Like all Souverains, the Burnt Orange Special Edition features the Pelikan logo engraved on the cap.

The M800 is also a large pen. Most people will find it too big to use posted. The issue isn't necessarily weight - the cap is fairly light - but rather length. I prefer to post my pens, and even I find myself using this one unposted most of the time.

The Burnt Orange Special Edition is your typical M800 as far as size and overall construction go, but the unique color has some history behind it. This is not your "blaze orange," or "hunters orange" pen - rather, the muted "burnt orange" color is reminiscent of the red hard rubber pens from the 1920s, and made famous again by Montblanc's "Hemingway" Writer's Edition from the early 1990s (which now commands a premium price on the collector's market). Moreover, the section, cap, and piston knob are not black, but rather a very dark brown. They appear black at first glance, but in the right lighting, the brown comes out.

Writing Experience

The nib on the Pelikan M800 is stiff, yet very pleasant to write with. It makes for a great cursive italic modification.

The Pelikan M800 offers a different writing experience than both the smaller M600, which I've previously reviewed here, and the larger M1000. The nib on the M800 is fairly stiff, whereas the nibs on the other two pens are slightly softer and offer a touch of line variation, the M1000 more so than the M600. That said, the M800 is an extremely nice writer. This pen started life as a broad nib, but I had it ground to a relatively crisp .4mm cursive italic by Mike Masuyama at the Atlanta Pen Show. This particular grind gives my handwriting exceptional line variation, but unlike a stub, isn't so wet that I can't use it on the ordinary office paper that I use daily at work.

Masuyama Cursive Italic (.4mm) with Montblanc Jonathan Swift Seaweed Green Ink (discontinued limited edition).

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I love my M800, and I'm sorry that I waited so long to add one to my collection. That said, I'm not sure that I would choose this particular model of Pelikan to collect, since it's just a touch too large for me to carry around easily in a shirt pocket. I tend to break it out when I need to do lots of long-form writing at a desk, or for when I want to journal. However, for work, when I'm running between meetings and need something a bit more portable, I tend to go with my M600 or my M205.

The standard Pelikan M800 is available in black with gold furniture, or in blue, red, or green striated celluloid, and can be found at most pen retailers for $500-600. (The M805 model comes with chrome trim.) While that's far from inexpensive, the M800 is a very well-built, reliable piston-filler with a large gold nib, so the materials and construction drive the price up. I know a few attorneys who have one fountain pen (the M800) that they've owned for years and use daily, so you'll get your money's worth and the pen will hold up over time.

As you might expect, special and limited editions will run you a bit more, typically pushing into the $600-700 range, and Pelikan typically offers these models for a year or less, depending on popularity. While the standard M800 is readily available from any major pen retailer, the Burnt Orange Special Edition featured in this review will likely become unavailable soon. As of the time of this review, you can still pick one up at Pen Chalet for $676, minus whatever discount code Ron is currently offering.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Pen Review: The Pokka Pen

January 25, 2017

The Pokka Pen is the pen that you want to stash everywhere: in your car, in every bag you own, in desk drawers, and next to the telephone (assuming you still have one that isn't a cell). Developed by Terry O'Connor as an inexpensive replacement for his Fisher Space Pens (which he kept losing), the Pokka Pen is a fun and convenient tool that's received rave reviews from everyone I know who's tried it, including my non-pen-obsessed family members.

The Pokka Pen is extremely portable: closed it measures just over 3.3", shorter than a Kaweco Sport and much narrower. Open, it extends to 5.5", slightly longer than a Sport and more than sufficient for most writing tasks. The pen feels sturdy and well-made, and makes a satisfying "pop" when it closes and posts due to the o-rings that hold the cap on. I found it very comfortable to write with, including for fairly long spells. While you're probably not going to want to use the Pokka pen to write your dissertation longhand, that's not the point. The Pokka is designed for ultimate portability.

The Pokka Pen offers a fairly standard ballpoint writing experience.

The Pokka's writing experience is very similar to that of a standard BIC crystal, which I enjoy. It writes a relatively dark line for a standard ballpoint pen, and would be suitable for most notetaking and signing purposes. The Pokka would be a great addition to an everyday carry kit, especially for those who don't want to shell out a lot of money for an expensive pen, or who tend to misplace pens very easily.

Where to Buy

Update: The Gentleman Stationer is now an authorized retailer of Pokka Pens, and you can purchase three-packs in our curated shop for $8.45 US. Also check out the Pokka site for regular releases of limited edition Pokka pens, as well as to buy in bulk packs of 10, 15, or 20 pens. Pokka pens come in a range of fun colors, including EDK Blaze (orange), EDK Earth (brown), EDK Klear (yellow/clear), Kustom Kryptek (camo), EDK Blakk ("stealth") and more.

For further reading, I'd encourage you to visit the Pokka Pens website and watch Terry's video in which he tells the story about how Pokka came to be. Also, check out Brad's review of the Pokka Pen over at The Pen Addict, as well as this review at The Gadgeteer.

Disclaimer: Terry at Pokka Pens sent me these pens free of charge for review purposes. I was not otherwise compensated for this review.

Quick Take: In the Pines, In the Pines ...

January 23, 2017

While I received these a week or so ago, I just got around to cracking the box open over the weekend, and I must say that I continue to be impressed with what Write Notepads is doing with their limited edition pocket notebooks. The latest edition, "In the Pines," just confirms for me that I made the right decision by subscribing this past fall. I love the forest green cover and dot grid paper, and the pencils seem a bit different this time (for the better), with more rounded hexagonal edges and a stronger cedar smell.

Beautiful simplicity: thus far, Write Notepads has resisted the urge to do "too much" with the design of their notebooks.

"In the Pines" is a reference to the American folk song of the same name, first popularized by Leadbelly in the 1940s and later by Nirvana on their "MTV Unplugged" album, where it appeared as the closing track under the name "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" (Great album, by the way - I listened to it for the first time in years this weekend - but I digress.)

Unlike other pocket notebook brands, Write Notepads sells and ships their books in tastefully designed boxes rather than shrink wrap.

I suspect these will go quickly, since they've received a lot of attention, so grab some now if they pique your interest. For the moment, pencils are subscriber-only, as is the "In the Pines" sticker. You can order directly via the Write Notepads website.

If you're interested in checking out what Write Notepads has done with previous limited editions, check out my review of the "Kindred Spirit" edition. At some point I need to do some photos and a quick take on the "Royal Blue" edition as well, but in the meantime I recommend reading Johnny's review over at Pencil Revolution.

Disclaimer: I purchased these notebooks with my own funds, for my own personal use.

Sailor-Imperial-Black-Fountain-Pen-Multi-Pen

Pen Review: Sailor Imperial Black Multifunction Pen

January 21, 2017

Sailor makes great looking pens, and the pens that make up Sailor's "Imperial Black" series are some of the best, IMHO. The Imperial Black Professional Gear fountain pen has long been a stalwart in my collection, and gets regular use. Despite it's high MSRP outside of Japan, it's still one of the pens that I regularly recommend, and I consider it to be the premiere "stealth pen" available. As it turns out, Sailor has expanded the Imperial Black lineup to include both a multifunction pen and a ballpoint at much lower and more readily accessible price points. If you like the look of the Imperial Black pens, but aren't quite ready to make the investment in the Pro Gear fountain pen, you should consider adding the multi pen to your collection. (I can't personally speak to the ballpoint, as I don't own it, but in light of my positive experiences with the other two pens you can probably assume it's good as well.)

The black ion-plated trim on the multi pen matches the trim on the Professional Gear fountain pen nicely.

Given the wide disparity in price points, I expected the Imperial Black multi pen to look cheap compared to the fountain pen, and for there to be a noticeable difference in the build quality. Not the case. The black ion-plated clip and trim are the same as on the fountain pen, and the matte black finish is equally well-applied. (Note: Nearly four years later, the matte finish on my Imperial Black fountain pen has become a bit glossy and worn from use. I expect the same from the multi pen, and from any "matte black" pen for that matter. It's normal and gives the pen a nice wabi-sabi effect.) Photographed together, these two pens look stunning. Sailor should consider selling these as a two or three-pen set.

The Imperial Black fountain pen is a relatively light and compact writing instrument that's easily carried in a shirt pocket. The multi pen also makes a great daily carry tool, but it's heftier than its fountain pen equivalent. While the fountain pen is made from matte-black acrylic, the multi pen appears to be coated brass. The metal construction gives the pen some weight, though I still find it to be well-balanced and very comfortable to use. The pen is almost exactly the same length as the Lamy 2000 four-color ballpoint, but slimmer around the middle.

The Imperial Black multi pen uses widely available D1 refills. The stock Sailor refill is excellent, though a bit hard to find.

In my recent Guide to Multifunction Pens, I noted that one of the big decision points when selecting a multi pen is the price/availability of the refills. Fortunately, this pen uses the non-proprietary D1 refill, which is relatively easy to find and available in a wide range of ink types. (There's even a highlighter refill made by Lamy, which I've been using a fair bit.) I will say that Sailor's "Chalana"-brand D1 ballpoint refills have impressed me. I'd compare them to the Uniball Jetstream refills in terms of smoothness, even in the "fine" or "extra fine" tip size. Like the Jetstream, there's not a wide range of colors - you're restricted to black, blue, and red - but they can be shockingly inexpensive for how good they are. Pen Chalet currently has the blue and the black in stock at less than $1.50 each.

The stock Sailor D1 refill writes a fine line that's smooth and very dark for a ballpoint.

So if I had to make a recommendation between this and the Lamy 2000 multi pen, what would I go with? That's a tough one. For me, it comes down to two things: (1) weight, and (2) whether you need a mechanical pencil function. While I don't consider the Imperial Black multi pen too heavy to use, it's definitely heavier than the Lamy 2000, so anyone particularly sensitive to that sort of thing should be advised. The Sailor also has a built-in .5mm mechanical pencil taking up one of it's four slots, whereas the Lamy is strictly a 4-color pen. Since I use pencils a lot during the workday, I find my self reaching more and more for the Sailor, and if I'm only carrying one pen, more often than not it's the Imperial Black that goes into my shirt pocket. Either one is excellent, however, and what you ultimately choose should determined by your personal needs and preferences.

One of the big selling points of the Sailor Imperial Black multi pen is the mechanical pencil function. The top of the "cap" unscrews to reveal a pink eraser.

Where to Buy

As far as I can tell, neither the Imperial Black Multifunction Pen and the Imperial Black Ballpoint (which I have not tried) are available outside Japan, so you have to order both pens from a Japanese vendor. With respect to the multi pen, there are multiple Amazon sources you can purchase from, but as is common with overseas vendors, both price and availability can vary. Shop around.

Disclaimer: I purchased the pen featured in this review with my own funds, for my own personal collection.