Platinum Carbon Desk Fountain Pen in Red

Thursday Drops: Platinum Carbon Desk Pens in Black and Red!

May 19, 2022

When I ordered these Platinum Carbon Desk Pens a couple of months ago, I knew I was going to stock them but didn’t bother to read closely enough to realize that they came in both black and red/burgundy, my two favorite colors. Here’s to happy coincidences! These excellent modern versions of a classic vintage desk accessory are now available for purchase in the shop, and the best part is that the stand-alone pen costs only $13. You can pair it with a base/stand for only an additional $20, giving you a fully functional desk pen set for just $33!

Platinum Carbon Desk Pen (Black) in Desk Stand — The Platinum Carbon Desk Pen, shown here in black in the stand (both pieces sold separately).

We are gradually building out our selection of fountain pens on offer, with a goal of focusing on those pens that are not only fun to use but offer solid value as everyday writers. To that end, we believe that the Platinum Carbon Desk Pen fits nicely into that category, and look forward to adding additional Platinum Pens in the future.

Platinum Carbon Desk Pen. Featuring an extra-fine gold-tone stainless steel nib and Platinum’s Slip-and-Seal cap technology, I was absolutely blown away by how well this pen wrote straight out of the box. Available in both black and red, and ships with one cartridge or Platinum ink in black or red to match the pen.
Platinum Carbon Desk Pen Base. Looking to recreate that vintage desk-scape? Start with a full desk-pen set. Available in black only (but it still looks outstanding paired with the red desk pen).
Midori MD Notebook Light Series. This week we also added the Midori MD “Light” Notebooks to our lineup, which feature the same excellent MD paper sold in packs of three slim format, 24 sheet/48 page notebooks. There is also a 70th Anniversary Limited Edition Set that was released this year, which includes seven different A5 notebooks featuring different color grid ruling and matching threaded bindings.
Midori 70th Anniversary 5-Year Diary. The recycled green leather binding on the limited five-year diary is gorgeous. I’m breaking out my own journal that I unfortunately let lapse, now that I have a place to work once again.
Midori MD Fountain Pen. This sleeper of an entry-level fountain pen deserves more attention, and it’s all because of the nib, which is slightly downturned to accommodate those who might write with a heavier hand. Even if you don’t, it’s super smooth. Read more here.
Traveler’s Company Brass Fountain Pen. Long one of my favorite pocket pens, my “Factory Green” fountain pen stays in regular rotation, along with my classic brass ballpoint.
TWSBI Swipe Fountain Pens. This past year TWSBI released a cartridge-converter fountain pen for the first time, and the result has frankly been spectacular. Purchase of any TWSBI Swipe Fountain Pen includes a cartridge and TWO different converters, so right away you’re ready to use either cartridges or bottled ink. We currently have all colors in stock, including the new Salmon and Pear.
TWSBI ECO Jade Fountain Pen. The rumor is that TWSBI’s ECO Jade release won’t be available for much longer. We still have a couple in stock.
TWSBI Vac700R Iris Fountain Pen. In addition to ensuring that we span the range of price points in our fountain pen offerings, we also wanted to span the range of filling systems, including a high-capacity vacuum-model. It helps that the “Iris” finish on the Vac700R is quite nice to look at. Check out the full write-up of this pen here.
TWSBI 580ALR Fountain Pens. TWSBI’s flagship 580 piston filler has been around in some form or fashion for 10 years now, but the best thing they’ve done - in my opinion - is release the pen with anodized aluminum trim and the textured metal sections. What’s you're favorite color? For me it’s a toss-up between the Navy and the Prussian Blue.

The Penwell Desktop Pen Holder

November 29, 2017

Penwell Co. was formed this year “with the simple goal of making and selling a useful, attractive, and well-built product.” That product is the eponymous Penwell, a pen stand that “turns any pen into a desk pen” and not only comes in quite handy, but looks great at your workspace.

Based in Wallace, South Dakota and run by pen enthusiast Dan Keller, Penwell Co. is “Singularly Focused, Singularly Named.” The company aims to do one thing very well, and by this standard has not only succeeded but should have a bright future.

The Penwell is ingeniously simple, and has only four parts: (1) the base, currently available in either walnut, aluminum, or brass; (2) an internal clip, which grips the pen; (3) a foam insert, which protects and pads the pen cap; and (4) a microsuction pad that adheres to your desk or other surface. The Penwell does not use any sort of adhesive, but rather thousands of tiny microscopic suction cups. The microsuction system works incredibly well. It stays put, and I’ve moved my Penwells multiple times without damaging the finish on my wood desk.

To turn your pen into a desk pen using the Penwell, simply insert the pen cap-first into the foam insert until it’s fully secured. Larger pens and slip cap pens may require further adjustment, and Penwell Co. offers detailed use and care instructions on its website, including pointers on how to make these pens fit. For the record, I’ve had no issues with any of my pens not fitting in the Penwell, including larger pens like the Montblanc 146 and my Kanilea pens (which look absolutely gorgeous in the Walnut version).

Kanilea Pen Co. Nui Nalu fountain pen in the Walnut Penwell. The Penwell matches the wooden box that comes with all Kanilea pens.

The great thing about this product is that it creates versatility. I love desk pens, but I don’t like the fact that a dedicated fountain pen desk set has to stay parked on your desk all the time. I’ve had issues with the ink drying up from disuse. Penwell solves this problem by making it easy to grab your "desk pen" out of the Penwell and go - to a coffee shop or my downtown office, for example - and then re-park the pen in the Penwell once I get home.

Another thing I love about the Penwell: it helps me out with those pens that won't post at all or are too long posted to use comfortably. (Parker’s Modern Duofold and Conklin’s Duragraph are two that recently crossed my desk.) I generally prefer to post my pens, in part because I have so much stuff sitting on my desk at any given time that I tend to lose track of caps or drop them on the floor. These longer, "unpostable" pens are perfect for the Penwell, which will hold the cap while I'm writing. Another problem solved!

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Many thanks to Dan at Penwell Co. for sending me these two Penwells and making this review possible. This is one of those well made, thoughtful products that makes you smile and which I have been using every day. Since the Penwell was released just in time for the holiday season, it made its way directly into my 2017 Holiday Gift Guide, and would make a great present for any pen enthusiast.

You can purchase the Penwell directly from the Penwell website. The walnut version costs $49, the aluminum version $59, and the brass $89. These prices are more than fair, given the quality, originality, and obvious effort that went into finalizing and packaging this product.

Disclaimer: Penwell Co. sent me the products featured in this review free of charge, for review purposes.

Pen Review: Retro 51 Retro Collection Desk Set

October 7, 2017

Regular readers of this blog likely already know Retro 51, the maker of the “Tornado” line of rollerballs, fountain pens, and pencils. Their special editions - including the most recent “Zodiac” pen - sell out quickly, and fuel a lively sub-group of Retro 51 enthusiasts and collectors within the larger pen community. For today’s post, I’m going to take a look at a pen from Retro 51 that doesn’t receive the attention it necessarily deserves: the vintage-style desk set.

Retro 51 has clearly modeled the vintage-style desk set after the classic Esterbrook version that became a fixture at banks and post offices in the mid-20th century. While this modern desk set features a rollerball and not a fountain pen, it maintains the “vintage” look and truly does class up your workspace. Plus, it’s a Retro 51 product, so the build quality is solid.

The dark black cherry lacquer is gorgeous. I'm a sucker for anything red-black, so when I saw that this color was available... you know the rest. The only branding on this set is a small imprint around the pen holder on the base.

My desk set has been beautifully finished and looks great on my desk. Per the manufacturer’s specs, the base is made of poly resin and coated with polished lacquer, which on this particular desk set is "Black Cherry," a dark red-black color. The bottom of the desk set sports a felt pad, so it won’t slide around or scratch your desk. The pen itself is made of metal and coated with the same lacquer as the base - I would guess it’s aluminum, given the extremely light weight. Despite the metal barrel, the pen is not noticeably heavy, and in any event the length and tapered design lends it exceptional balance. Since I received this pen in the mail, I’ve alternated between it and the Inventery Machined Pen as my tool of choice for working things out on my Baron Fig Mastermind desk pad. Both sport the same excellent Schmidt liquid-ink rollerball refill, and also accept the Schmidt Easyflow 9000 ballpoint refill.

Takeaways and Where To Buy

I’ve dabbled with collecting vintage-style desk pens over the years, and this has piqued my interest once again. You can purchase the Retro 51 Desk Pen from our sponsor Goldspot Pens. As with all Retro 51 Pens, the pricing is well below what I would expect for an item of this quality. Typically priced at $60 for the desk set, Goldspot has them on sale for $48, available in Turquoise, White, “Chalkboard Black” (matte), Stainless Steel, and the Black Cherry version reviewed here.

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Disclaimer: Goldspot provided me with this item free of charge, for review purposes. Many thanks to Goldspot for sponsoring the blog.