Pen Paper Ink Letter Massive Review Index
August 29, 2014 8:32 AM Subscribe
Pen Paper Ink Letter is a pen and paper blog maintained by Heath Cates. Currently holding Ink Week, its best feature is a massive index of product reviews, from the blog itself and other blogs.
My personal favorites are fountain pens, ink, and paper, but he also reviews other kinds of pens, pencils and erasers, and even accessories.
So if you have a writing implement addiction and want something simple, specialized, or vintage, there's probably a review of it in the index.
My personal favorites are fountain pens, ink, and paper, but he also reviews other kinds of pens, pencils and erasers, and even accessories.
So if you have a writing implement addiction and want something simple, specialized, or vintage, there's probably a review of it in the index.
My problem is I'll see an ink I'd like, but all of my pens already are inked, so that I need to get a new pen, but since I'm buying a new pen I might as well get a couple more ink samples, and that goes on until I'm broke.
posted by Elementary Penguin at 9:07 AM on August 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Elementary Penguin at 9:07 AM on August 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
I just assumed ("pen and paper blog") that this would be a blog where all the posts are scans of things written out in ink on paper. I'm pretty much crushed right now.
posted by nanojath at 9:59 AM on August 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by nanojath at 9:59 AM on August 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
Most of the ink and pen reviews are handwritten and photographed, if that helps.
posted by Elementary Penguin at 10:07 AM on August 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Elementary Penguin at 10:07 AM on August 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
Nice. I've been getting more and more into fountain pens lately, and have recently embarked upon a campaign to improve my horrible handwriting. I've always loved fountain pens, and used cheap ones for around 20 years before I started getting high quality pens. Eventually, I needed to prove to myself I was capable of owning an pen without losing it before I would be willing to shell out $100+ on one. So I bought a Sheaffer 330 for around 30 bucks and used it for several years without losing it. Then around 8 years ago, Mrs. slkinsey bought me a Visconti, which was the only pen I used for around 5 years until I started branching out.
I'm looking at today's carry. . .
In my pocket:
Franklin-Christoph Model 40 Pocket "Smoke and Ice" with an 18k needlepoint by Mike Masuyama, filled as an eyedropper with Sheaffer Skrip Red ink. The small nib and bright red ink are perfect for taking quick notes, marking up documents, margin notes, etc. The pen is only around 4 inches long when capped.
In my briefcase:
A couple of Noodler's Ahab pens, a demonstrator with the stock X-BB flex nib that I keep inked with X-Feather, and blue acrylic fitted with a Goulet 1.3 mm stub nib that I keep inked with Baystate Blue.
An old-generation green Visconti Van Gogh Maxi with a 14k M nib that is currently inked with Namiki blue. This is the pen Mrs. slkinsey got me and it's one of my favorites. The nib is springy and expressive, and incredibly smooth.
An "antique marble" Edison Collier with 0.9 mm Richard Binder cursive italic nib. I like to use shading inks in this one, so it's currently inked with Rohrer & Klingner Alt-Goldgruen and last week it was J. Herbin Lie de The.
An Italix Churchman's Prescriptor with an extra broad cursive stub, currently inked with Diamine Ancient Copper.
A Jinhao 159 fitted with a 1.5 mm Goulet stub and inked with Rohrer & Klingner Salix, which is an interesting modern fountain pen friendly iron gall ink.
I really want a Visconti's Oversized Homo Sapiens Bronze Age Lava with a 1.3 mm stub nib, and I've got my eye on a Pilot Justus 95 with John Mottishaw's "Spencerian" modification for added flex.
I highly recommend the SBREBROWN video reviews, which I stumbled across a few weeks ago. They are funny and interesting and informative in a geeky kind of way.
posted by slkinsey at 10:12 AM on August 29, 2014 [3 favorites]
I'm looking at today's carry. . .
In my pocket:
Franklin-Christoph Model 40 Pocket "Smoke and Ice" with an 18k needlepoint by Mike Masuyama, filled as an eyedropper with Sheaffer Skrip Red ink. The small nib and bright red ink are perfect for taking quick notes, marking up documents, margin notes, etc. The pen is only around 4 inches long when capped.
In my briefcase:
A couple of Noodler's Ahab pens, a demonstrator with the stock X-BB flex nib that I keep inked with X-Feather, and blue acrylic fitted with a Goulet 1.3 mm stub nib that I keep inked with Baystate Blue.
An old-generation green Visconti Van Gogh Maxi with a 14k M nib that is currently inked with Namiki blue. This is the pen Mrs. slkinsey got me and it's one of my favorites. The nib is springy and expressive, and incredibly smooth.
An "antique marble" Edison Collier with 0.9 mm Richard Binder cursive italic nib. I like to use shading inks in this one, so it's currently inked with Rohrer & Klingner Alt-Goldgruen and last week it was J. Herbin Lie de The.
An Italix Churchman's Prescriptor with an extra broad cursive stub, currently inked with Diamine Ancient Copper.
A Jinhao 159 fitted with a 1.5 mm Goulet stub and inked with Rohrer & Klingner Salix, which is an interesting modern fountain pen friendly iron gall ink.
I really want a Visconti's Oversized Homo Sapiens Bronze Age Lava with a 1.3 mm stub nib, and I've got my eye on a Pilot Justus 95 with John Mottishaw's "Spencerian" modification for added flex.
I highly recommend the SBREBROWN video reviews, which I stumbled across a few weeks ago. They are funny and interesting and informative in a geeky kind of way.
posted by slkinsey at 10:12 AM on August 29, 2014 [3 favorites]
I got into fountain pens for the looks of the results, but stayed for the smooth ride and the speed. Once I figured out my left-handed-hook nib stance, there was no going back. Unfortunately, I'm so good at losing things that I haven't dared to go beyond this Monteverde, pricewise.
If anyone reading this is intrigued but not yet invested, you can start at around $3. And, less than $20 will get you a popular favorite.
posted by gnomeloaf at 11:35 AM on August 29, 2014
If anyone reading this is intrigued but not yet invested, you can start at around $3. And, less than $20 will get you a popular favorite.
posted by gnomeloaf at 11:35 AM on August 29, 2014
Latest purchase: A lovely red Sailor 1911 Standard extra-fine point fountain pen. I have something like fifty fountain pens. I've been collecting for the last 50 years, but have lost, broken, or worn out so many that I am very heartened to read that others lose theirs as well.
posted by Peach at 1:38 PM on August 29, 2014
posted by Peach at 1:38 PM on August 29, 2014
I actually lost two moving this summer, and I would be despondent if it wasn't an excuse to buy more fountain pens.
posted by Elementary Penguin at 2:50 PM on August 29, 2014
posted by Elementary Penguin at 2:50 PM on August 29, 2014
Elementary Penguin: "My problem is I'll see an ink I'd like, but all of my pens already are inked, so that I need to get a new pen, but since I'm buying a new pen I might as well get a couple more ink samples, and that goes on until I'm broke."
I understand your problem a little too well from my own FP experiences, haha. I admit for inks I tend to stay with the formal blue, blue-black, and black colors for everything from letters, notes, and for journals.
The only thing I'm a little too obsessed are with unique nib grinds and how I'm still looking for the perfect FP, which will the be-all and end-all of my last 5 years of accumulation of pens.
@Peach: I lost my very first FP (Lamy Safari) and I'm still not completely over it. I feel your pain and it's also why I now use pen cases JIC.
posted by chrono_rabbit at 4:28 PM on August 29, 2014
I understand your problem a little too well from my own FP experiences, haha. I admit for inks I tend to stay with the formal blue, blue-black, and black colors for everything from letters, notes, and for journals.
The only thing I'm a little too obsessed are with unique nib grinds and how I'm still looking for the perfect FP, which will the be-all and end-all of my last 5 years of accumulation of pens.
@Peach: I lost my very first FP (Lamy Safari) and I'm still not completely over it. I feel your pain and it's also why I now use pen cases JIC.
posted by chrono_rabbit at 4:28 PM on August 29, 2014
A little disappointed since I thought this was going to be a blog *written in* pen and ink and not *about* pen and ink.
posted by Mooseli at 5:14 PM on August 29, 2014
posted by Mooseli at 5:14 PM on August 29, 2014
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Also, fountain pens can be *very* addicting just a fair warning.
posted by chrono_rabbit at 8:53 AM on August 29, 2014