Inky Links

Ink Swatches

Visiting pilot pens https://blog.wonderpens.ca/visiting-pilot-pens-fountain-pen-factory-in-hiratsuka/

Pens in work

Now while I like using fountain pens I also use other pens, particularly in work, I have a weakness for stationery and have for years, I hated using the pens in work so I brought a chunk of the pens I have and I've been using them.  This is a good sample of the pens I use.

The Pilot V-Pen - yes I pretty much hate this pen and all it's clones, it bleeds through paper, it feathers because the paper is even mildy absorbent which makes it terrible for me.  I've given away more of these than I can count.  But part of my job is signing invoices and it's perfect for that.  I'm almost finished this one!  I don't plan to replace them once their done.

A Glitter Gel pen.  This is a two-colour pen from Pentel and it amuses the person I have to fill forms out for.  I can't think of a better reason to use it.  It makes both of us smile.  Apparently, according to an accountant friend, as long as it can be photocopied it's good.  This can.

Then I have a variety of gel and other fine point pens which I use in my planning pages.  I try to swap out the pen I use in the morning for a different colour after lunch.  Theres always more in the morning but I think that's pretty common.  Most of the pens are turquoise and purple, I appear to be predictable with this.

Then I have a frixion pen, for my loan list and the crossword.  I have a couple of empty small coffee tins and all the pens live there.  Theres a variety of promotional pens in there too, I don't use them as much as the others but sometimes an ordinary pen is useful.  I also have two empty erasable pens because one of the erasable tips is nicely fine which is useful with my on loan list.

December's inxperiment

I'm expecting January's inxperiment soon so I thought I would swatch last months. I've been putting it off for too long.

When I swatched the Platinum Citrus black the swatch on the Rhodia paper began to darken almost as soon as I swatched. On the watercolour paper it stayed yellow for quite a while.

I plan to photograph it in a short while to chart the progress.

below is after about 5 minutes

To the right was the following morning.

November Inxperiment

I got my November Inxperiment early this month and when I opened the envelope this is what I saw...  The green Chiku-Rin had leaked everywhere.  I mopped it up and checked the lids, the Chiky-Rin had an o-ring in the lid was not seated right.  I reseated it, wrapped everything in tissues and gave it a few days to dry up properly.

This month's set were:

Mont Blanc - Legend of Zodiac Lucky Yellow - a quite bright yellow
Lamy Christal Ink Ruby - a dark pink red
Lamy Christal Ink Azurite - quite a nice blue purple.
Iroshiziku by Pilot - Chiku Rin - a bight green that got everywhere...
S. T. Dupont - Intense Black - quite a dark black

Tested on Rhodia Pad swabbed with a cotton bud

All items purchased by me

This week's carry

Muji aluminum pen, Pilot decimo, Lamy petrol safari, Kaweco liliput and Twisbi go. Several of these are almost dry.

Late October inxperiment

Finally swatched the October inxperiment. Novembers is due this week...

Cult Pens is evil, TK Maxx ditto

All items below were purchased by me from my own money and no inducements were offered to create this post and I plan to do more of these to shame myself for over-spend.

Cult Pens have at the time of this post (30th of July 2018) a 3 for 2 on entry-level pens.

I have a weakness for Pilot Preppy's and the Monami Oilka looked interesting.  I have a dislike relationship with the Zebra and Pilot V-Pens - I have yet to find a paper that they don't bleed through and feather and basically I don't regard them as good everyday pens.  If you want a pen to sign things regularly where you want to be assured which is the original document they're great, they also start well every time, I still find them blooby bleedy monsters and when I'm done with the few I have I'm getting rid of them.  I've seen a lot of people recommend them as starter pens, I wouldn't.  I plan to do a (more) ranty post about them some day with samples.

Anyhow, I put a few fine and extra fine Preppys and Oilkas into my shopping cart and then I put a couple of the Anniversary Diamine wedges  By that point I was at almost £35 and at £50 Cult Pens offer Free Shipping.  So 3 Diamine Samples: Regency Blue, Espresso and Purple Dreams, one Callifolio: Inca Sol; a platinum adapter for ordinary refils and a clutch pencil sharpener and I was just over the £50. Now I just need three more of the Diamine Wedges and I have the 8 to make the circle.

Samples are below and images of the pens. I haven't added the ink to the Preppy's as they're backups for the ones I have and possibly give to people pens for them to try reasonable cheap fountain pens  The Monami Oilakas are quite nice, the extra-fine is a little scratchy but they're quite solid and they take standard international cartridges..

 

I also visited TK Maxx during the week not expecting much, occasionally they have some nice bits and pieces and I have picked up some interesting things.  I was actually looking for a water bottle as I've found the Twining's Cold Infuse and with the current weather the idea of drinking hot tea is just not really appealing (except for some medicinal Lemon and Ginger, which I have found quite good for my sinuses) and Tesco have them on special offer.  I did get  the water bottle - a borosilicate one but seeing as it's going to live on my desk the weight isn't going to be an issue.  

Before I got to the kitchenware section the stationery section sang it's siren song.  I came across a Loooq Koyoto Notebook cover and some notebooks. There's plenty of space in the cover for a pen and it will take a standard A5 notebook.as a replacement. The cover pocket has a tab to help pull smaller things out, there's one large interior pocket as well.  It sits nicely open and it would be a nice single notebook cover.

The notebooks are Punch Studio with Write, Compose and  Notes written on them. 

For me TK Maxx is useful for finding  unusual notebooks that are hard to find and then I can, for a relatively inexpensive price, try different paper producers.  It's also a terrible drain on my wallet.