fountain pen

by Tony Thomas I found this pen roll on eBay and Amazon for between $2-3 including shipping! Of course, it is made from "pleather" (not real leather), but it is pretty well made and looks like it will last a while. I would not use it for really expensive pens (since they would rub together), but it is great for inexpensive ones. Check it out!

by Tony Thomas I decided to try my diluted DC Supershow Blue with an italic nib.  To the left is the result. It is actually a very pleasant medium blue with a fair amount of shading. Really pleased with the results and looking forward to diluting other dark inks to see what I can come up with.

by Tony Thomas I have been experimenting recently with ink dilution and it has been an interesting experience. While I have been diluting Noodler's Bulletproof Black for years with good results, I thought I would try a shade of blue.  My latest subject is Private Reserve DC Supershow Blue, a very saturated dark blue ink. I used a 1:1 mixture of ink and distilled water with a tiny amount of Dawn dishwashing liquid (a non-ionic surfactant) to improve flow.  I only make about 4-6 ml at a time so that I can test with small amounts. The result is a lighter shade of blue with a good amount of shading.  The surfactant added probably results in a thicker line (more of a medium/broad than a fine), but I can tweak the flow by adding less surfactant. I am very pleased with the results!