Aug 10, 2015

Written by Felix Jen

First Impressions - Delta Dolcevita Oversize

Delta, the Italian pen manufacturer, was founded in 1982 and is actually one of the youngest fountain pen manufacturers around. They are distributed in the U.S. by Yafa, the parent company of Conklin and Monteverde. One of Delta’s most ambitious pens is their Dolce vita Oversize which boasts a bright orange resin body and a solid 18K gold nib. This is the same barrel material found in their limited edition Skeleton Ballpoint Pen and is quite a looker!

Aug 8, 2015

Written by Connar Adlam

Preventing Pain from Excessive Writing

(This is a guest post by Connor Adlam of Fountain Pen Quotes) Before reading this, you should know that I am not a doctor or medical professional. If you experience excessive discomfort or pain while writing, seek professional help. Writing for long periods of time (over an hour) comfortably and without injury can be very beneficial if you take notes, journal, write letters, or write anything more than a shopping list or a quick note.

Aug 5, 2015

Written by Felix Jen

Best-Shaped Ink Bottles

Have you ever run into a time where your ink level is so low in the bottle that you have trouble filling your pen? For most pens, you need to have enough ink that the height of the ink will reach the grip section of your pen. That becomes quite a big problem when you are down to the last bit of ink in your bottle. Some manufacturers take proactive steps to aid filling from their bottles when the ink level gets low enough and devise some really unique bottles.

Aug 2, 2015

Written by Felix Jen

Storing Ink Samples

If any of you have dabbled in fountain pen inks (which most of you probably have), you may have acquired quite a handful of ink samples. Those small, round vials are great for sending little amounts of ink round, but they can really be a pain to store once you have a bunch of them! Also, they tend to tip over leaving a terribly inky mess all over your table, or worse, your carpet!

Jul 30, 2015

Written by Felix Jen

Delta Orange Skeleton Ballpoint Review

I normally do not do reviews on ballpoint pens, as I tend to use fountain pens but I felt like this amazing pen deserved a review. Delta is an Italian luxury pen manufacturer that has been making pens since 1982. They constantly come out with lovely limited edition pens, such as their Indigenous People collection, as well as their production, Dolcevita line. Their signature orange color is quite unmistakable and very popular.

Jul 29, 2015

Written by Felix Jen

Montblanc Meisterstück Blue Hour Twilight Blue Review

Montblanc special edition inks are always a lovely thing to have! Occasionally, Montblanc comes out with a time-limited ink to commemorate “something,” whether it is a person, event, or thing. Their Twilight Blue ink was released in tandem with their Meisterstück Blue Hour pens. This ink comes in the regular Montblanc special edition 30mL bottle with a metal cap. The lip is quite wide and can accommodate even my thickest pen with ease.

Jul 26, 2015

Written by Felix Jen

Noodler's Baystate Cape Cod Cranberry Review

(Sample provided to me free of charge from a very generous FPN member.) Noodler’s is quite famous among fountain pen enthusiasts for their huge line of ink colors and amazing ink properties. Some inks are completely water resistant and others glow under U.V. light just to name a few cool ones. One of the lines that Noodler’s has released is the Baystate line. An ink that gets a really popular rap in the Baystate line is Noodler’s Baystate Blue.

Jul 25, 2015

Written by Felix Jen

Montblanc Pink Ink Review

Every so often, Montblanc releases a new special edition ink, such as the JFK Navy Blue, or the Corn Poppy Red. Those inks are limited by time and will no longer be made after a certain date. In February 2015, Montblanc publicly released their special edition Pink ink. This ink comes in a lovely 30mL cubic bottle with a hefty metal lid. The bottle is quite easy to fill from, with an extra wide lip and good depth.

Jul 22, 2015

Written by Felix Jen

Sailor Souten Review

(Thank you Steve for a generous sample of this lovely ink!) Sailor, the Japanese manufacturer of pens and inks, recently discontinued their previous line of Jentle ink and replaced them with some new Jentle colors. Sailor Souten, or Azure Sky, is very similar to the discontinued Sky High ink in terms of color and red sheen. Souten is actually also quite close to Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-Peki although it is a tad bit darker.

Jul 21, 2015

Written by Felix Jen

Best Papers for Fountain Pens

There are a huge number of factors to consider when picking a great paper for use with fountain pens. It is very much like picking a fine wine with many subtleties and nuances. However, any great paper will bring out a whole new life to your pens and ink, letting you see things you would have missed before like sheen. Let’s start with an overview of the things to consider when picking a paper.