fountain pen

by Tony Thomas I have been using my new custom "document holder" notebook for almost two weeks and can say that I am still very pleased with it.  As I wrote earlier, I constructed it from a 8.5 x 11 piece of tooling leather that I dyed and punched. I really love the flexibility the notebook provides. I can use all kinds of paper in it (much of it custom cut or folded to fit). As I use fountain pens, pencils and gel pens, I can use better and cheaper paper as I desire. Right now, I have Rhodia graph and lined paper, HP 32# laser, Georgia Pacific 24# laser and cheap  Indonesian  lined paper loaded. I can sort the sheets I have completed to fit my daily requirements. When I am done with a sheet of paper, I can file it or toss it. It is absolutely perfect for my workflow! For more information on the original notebook: http://thefrugalfountainpen.blogspot.com/2016/05/my-new-notebook.html

by Tony Thomas I have a problem with regular notebooks.  Unless they are dedicated to a singular purpose, I usually fill them up with information that has no long-term significance.  My initial solution was to use disc-bound Circa and Arc notebooks for everyday use but found them to be both bulky and heavy to carry around. I decided that a better solution would be to create a notebook that would allow me to carry loose papers that could be easily rearranged and discarded when no longer needed.  These days, most of my important archival information is in Evernote and I either transfer the information from my written notes manually or take a quick photo of the written page with my tablet or phone and store it electronically in Evernote. I ordered a nice piece of tooling leather from eBay, cut it down to 8.5" x 11" and dyed it.  I added an elastic band to hold everything together.  It is similar to a traveler's notebook and very quick and easy to make -- less than ...

by Tony Thomas I love Nemosine nibs.  They are inexpensive and come in a range of line widths including the unusual (and usually sold out)  .8 and .6 italics.   They are reportedly made in Germany and compare favorably to the JoWo and Bock nibs I have used.  I have no idea who makes them as there are only a few nib makers in that country. They are available exclusively from xfountainpens.com and on Amazon by their parent company, Paramount Goods, LLC . Nemosine nibs can make inexpensive pens from China and India come alive.  As you can see, I have quite a few of them. Many others are installed in pens that I use frequently (like Jinhaos, Noodlers and other Chinese and Indian pens).  Highly recommended! http://www.xfountainpens.com/collections/nibs

by Tony Thomas I recently received a Quo Vadis Compact Habana notebook from Exaclair and decided to a quick review.   First of all, it brings back memories of the Moleskine notebooks that I have used in the past but the paper quality is much, much better.  It uses 85 gram Clairefontaine paper which is the paper of choice for many fountain pen users.  I found the ivory paper color to be very pleasing and it looks good with most inks.   The notebook has a faux leather cover, a bookmark ribbon, an elastic cover closure and a rear pocket. The Quo Vadis logo is embossed on the front cover, and on the back, the Quo Vadis name and logo appear at the bottom.  It is made in the USA with Clairefontaine paper from France.  The binding quality is excellent and the notebook has a very impressive fit and feel.   As expected, there was no feathering or bleed thru when using the notebook with fountain pens, and it provided a smooth and enjoyable writing experience. ...

by Tony Thomas It seems that letter writing has become something of a lost art. E-mail is ubiquitous. Cursive writing, arcane. However, there are some great reasons to write letters. Here are some I came up with: 1) Letters are personal: Unlike impersonal (and sometimes annoying) e-mail, letters add a personal touch that cannot be duplicated. 2) Letters are tangible: They can be held and folded. They can be stored and re-read. And, if kept out of direct sunlight and if archival paper is used, they can even be read by future generations. 3) Writing is therapeutic: I derive a great deal of comfort and enjoyment from writing in longhand. My thoughts flow naturally and easily. It is relaxing and mentally stimulating. I would say it is even therapeutic. 4) They will get read: Everyone's e-mail box is stuffed and every e-mail is just one button push from oblivion. How many times have you asked: "Did you get my e-mail"? By contrast, most people are pretty mail-star...

by Tony Thomas I have been an admirer of Karas Kustoms pens for a while now.  In fact, I purchased a few of their rollerball pens previously (the Render K and Bolt in aluminum) to house the ultra-fine Japanese gel refills from Pilot and Uni that I love to use. Of course, I prefer to use fountain pens whenever I can, but as you probably know, ultra-fine fountain pen nibs are not a joy to write with. Plus, there are times when rollerballs are preferable. If you don't know anything about Karas Kustoms, they are a CNC machine shop located in Arizona that decided to get into the pen business. They achieved their initial visibility through successful Kickstarter campaigns targeted at the burgeoning EDC (everyday carry) crowd.  What the company does is machine the pens they sell out of metals such as aluminum, brass, and copper. They do this on a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) lathe and then finish the pens by hand. If you would like to see how this is done, check out this You Tube...

by Tony Thomas This is my second review of the J. Herbin 1670 collection of inks.  Up next is Rouge Hematite. For those who missed the last installment: "The 1670 Collection celebrates the rich life and adventures of J. Herbin, an enterprising French sailor of the mid-17th century. He made a number of voyages to India, collecting ingredients and formulas for his sealing wax and inks. He began making pen inks in his Paris workshop beginning in 1700 with the ' Ink of Ships ' and the ' Jewel of Inks .' Today, Herbin inks are widely used and internationally renown." J. Herbin Rouge Hematite is a beautiful, rich, shade of red.  It is saturated, but not nearly as dense as the Emerald of Chivor ink that I reviewed previously.  Again, I used my Conklin Duragraph with a 1.1 stub for the test.  The flow is excellent and the dry time is reasonable on Rhodia the 80gsm paper that I used.  I did not notice any significant shading with this ink.  It was a pleasure to writ...