Introduction Namisu is a UK based pen manufacturer, and they design pens with minimalistic aesthetics. The Namisu Ixion was their fifth Kickstarter Project, launched in June 2017. There were a choice of three materials for the pen- aluminium, brass and titanium, in increasing order of prices. The pens feature #6 Bock nibs, and by default, they come with a steel nib. Titanium and gold nibs come as add-ons. The filling system is cartridge converter, and it is of the standard international variant. This pen features a faceted, clipless cap, and a cylindrical barrel. I opted for the Blue Aluminium version, with stainless steel finials and grips, alongside with an Extra Fine steel nib. Originally slated for delivery in October 2017, the project was met with many delays, much to the annoyance of many backers. It was only on 3rd March 2018 that I took delivery of my pen, making the wait almost 8 months long. Unpacking the order, the picture below shows the items that I have received- the pen itself, alongside with an additional Extra Fine steel nib (that I intend to use on other pens), as well as a Schmidt K5 converter. The pen by default, does not […]
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We’re taking a look at—deep breath—NAGASAWA PenStyle-Den KobeINK物語 #8 Arima Amber! There was a time you had to buy this ink in Japan or get a courier service to have it mailed to you. But we live in an incredible time, don’t we? pharaonisConrad is a Californian fountain pen lover. http://wintersharks.blogspot.com
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By now you should have heard of the Wancher Dream Pen Kickstarter project. If you haven’t, it’s either because you have not been prowling around the fountain pen world enough, or haven’t been paying attention to my blog! 😉 I have recently posted about their Kickstarter project, and it is not often, if at all, that I post about a Kickstarter. The reason I decided to write about this Kickstarter is that I liked the way Wancher carried out their product development process, and the message they gave in their promotional video. I also felt that it was a great opportunity for you beloved readers out there to be able to obtain an urushi pen at a more affordable price tag. Lucky me, I have been contacted by Wancher to review their True Urushi fountain pen. What a privilege for me! They have sent me the black steel-nibbed version and I have been writing with it for a while. Read further for my breakdown of my thoughts of the pen. First Impressions I have never had an urushi pen before, so to be honest I had not known what really to expect. I had seen pictures of the pen when […]
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BENU began in January 2016 when Alex Semanin and Kate Dmitrieva started a new creative concept “to make writing instruments and desk accessories for those who prefer bright colors and new designs that are playful, stylish, and fun.” The name BENU comes from the Egyptian deity linked to the Sun, creation, and rebirth, and is a symbol of constant change, recurrence, and renovations. Their fountain pens, ballpoints, and rollerballs are all designed and handcrafted in their Moscow workshop, and all fountain pens come with a Schmidt nib in Fine, Medium, or Broad. I first heard about BENU pens last year from a few friends that had purchased the BENU Minima model in Classic Black with Skulls. They raved about the design and how it grabbed people’s attention every time they used them. When I saw that BENU was launching a new line of pens called Chameleon, I knew I had to get one to try out for myself. All the Chameleon pens have the same body design, but vary in colors and patterns. I reached out to BENU pens to learn more about the line, and Kate Dmitrieva agreed to send me a Benu Jolly Chameleon to review and test. […]
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Welcome to The Philadelphia Pen Show!!!!! The Annual Philadelphia Pen Show was held January 12th-14th at the Westin Hotel in Philadelphia, PA. This was my first year attending after hearing stories about how amazing it was. You could find everything from vintage pens to new, pencils, inks, papers, writing paraphernalia, classes, accessories, and the best find of all is the friendships and stories that you will take home with you. I want to bring you some of the sights from the show to help you feel like you were there. Arriving at the show… Upon arriving at the hotel, you could already feel the energy from the guests. Everywhere you looked, people were sharing their pen and ink collections, showing those amazing items they found at various seller tables, trading pens, and exchanging stories. There was a registration table to check in and a name tag station which Eric Orozco who was in charge of the show was helping at. The table across from the check in table was run by Pen World, offering subscriptions and giving out a free copy of Pen World. Entering the show… The main hallway had tables lining both walls with various vendors including: InkJournal, […]
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I love writing – the simple act of moving a pen over paper and seeing a line of ink appear. The process is magical and personal. I also love looking at other people’s handwriting. It’s a little piece of them, their energy and style. It doesn’t matter if it is the work of a calligraphy master or still looks like infant school print, it is that person’s own unique artistic expression. If you can put pen to paper and write, you are being creative! My own handwriting… I was super critical of my own handwriting until recently. Now I appreciate it and enjoy it. It makes me laugh that my daughter’s teachers at school commend it when my own teachers complained about it – my messy writing was always mentioned in my reports. In my mid-teens I suddenly got into pens and writing and upped my game. I haven’t stopped working on improving it since. Moving from ballpoint pens to fountain pens 15 years ago was, I suppose, a natural progression. It was around that time I started keeping a journal just as an excuse to write and use my fountain pens. So here are a few hints and tips […]
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Here’s a #noteworthyOFP post! There is a new and interesting Kickstarter up on the boards: the Wancher Dream Pen. Wancher Inc. is a company from Japan that specialises in writing products, since 1987. I have heard this name in the fountain pen world but have not really explored their pens, having been distracted by the big names of other Japanese pen makers. When Wancher approached me to share about their products, I got quite interested. They offered me an urushi pen to review and provide my comments. I was excited to review it, but as I received it quite recently, I wanted a little more time to try it out before officially putting up a review here. Hence, I offered to put up this feature post in support of their Kickstarter campaign. I offered to do so not because of the sponsorship – I would have done the same feature post without any sponsorship – it was because I like the way they are taking pen-making very seriously, and the way they call their Kickstarter the Dream Pen. So that’s my little disclaimer there. Moving on back to the main focus… When I said they are taking pen-making very seriously, […]
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I have never tried before any pens from Karas Pen Co, so when they contacted me to check my interest to review one of their pens, I definitely jumped at the opportunity! The pen they sent me is from their Signature range – a spring Decograph 1801 Special Edition no less, elegantly named Sleeping Beauty. While this pen was provided to me for free in exchange for a review on my blog, all opinions where applicable are my own. In Karas, all their items are designed and manufactured in Arizona, USA. So it is not a surprise that their Decograph 1801 was going to feature one of their landmarks. That landmark would be the the Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Mine of Globe, Arizona. Initially, the name “Sleeping Beauty” calls to mind the Disney animation based on a classic fairytale, but upon reading the product sheet that came along with the pen, I realised it’s about the mine! That makes much more sense as I could not really think of how else the pen would be associated with Disney (laughing at myself now). Appearance and packaging When it comes to acrylic pens, I really love marbled or swirly designs, so when I […]
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I got my hands on two inks from Elixir Ink Company for review through Maybelline recently and couldn’t be more pleased. The Elixir Ink Company is from Singapore, and their inks are produced locally. Support local? Yes! The one I’m reviewing today is the River Safari ink. It’s always nice to try items that are locally made. I explored Elixir’s website and found out that the two inks I received were their limited Edition Inks specially made for Singapore Fountain Pen Lover’s (SFPL) 2017 Pen Show. Unfortunately, according to Elixir’s website, they’re currently out of stock. Anyone knows if they will be producing more stock? Performance The writing sample above is written on a Maruman Spiral notebook, and I had no problems with bleed-through and feathering. The ink is almost pH neutral at 7.5. It writes a little dry for me, but I’m pretty sure that it’s the nib. Others had provided feedback, saying the inks were a little on the wet side. Pros Their River Safari is a pretty, dark olive green with a little bit of shading. Olive Greens had never been a personal favourite, but i’ve grown to like them recently as […]
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My fountain pen story, like many others’, is a story of constant development, learning,fountain pens, and hopefully, this may well help you get a head-start on your fountain pen journey! Be sure to check out my own blog for more exclusive content! The Pen BoffinWe, The Pen Boffin love pens! Who doesn’t, right? We are a blog currently run by Ali Abbas Panju and Oliver Jack Bennett, and are committed to reviewing fountain pens, writing opinion pieces about fountain pens, and all other paraphernalia! Please check out our main blog for exclusive posts, and follow our social media to keep up to date! Feel free to contact us, and as always, write on. https://thepenboffin.wordpress.com/
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