For Pain and Pleasure
I like to write out of doors. Sometimes I write when I'm sitting down by the lake, sometimes just out on the deck. I occasionally address correspondence to friends and family in fountain pen ink, and strangely, the weather is not always on my side with some of these endeavors. Children—and some of you without … Continue reading Ink: Water-Resistant ain’t Waterproof
So, you can probably stop reading there then... the TWSBI Vac700R is yet another great intermediate pen from TWSBI. But... I hear you ask, or would if this wasn't a blog with no sound, and you were really that engaged... just what is it like to write with? How does it compare to the Diamond … Continue reading The TWSBI Vac700R—Boring Title, Great Pen
If you're anything like me,you're probably subscribed to multiple blogs and other news sources. Until recently, I just kept sites as a list of favorites, or bookmarks, depending on the browser I'm using at the time. And I probably don't need to tell anybody what a black hole of your time this can be. And … Continue reading Nibbler Takes a Byte or Two Out of Your Feeds
When I write personal correspondence, I tend to write with either brown or blue ink on ivory or cream paper. Like I have said before, I like to color-match pens to inks, not least because it helps me pick the right color pen and ink on sight. I have blue pens with nibs I love, … Continue reading Sailor Pro Gear Slim (Sapporo) Special Edition Earth
I had high hopes for the Lamy 2000, and in the spirit of full disclosure I must tell you, they weren't met. Those of you who don't like negative reviews had better change channels, because this one goes downhill rapidly from here, ranting all the way. It seems like most people that review fountain pens … Continue reading The Lament of the Lackluster Lamy 2000
Some while ago, on a too rare visit to the UK, my mother gave me a fountain pen she had unearthed in a fit of cleaning out a long-ignored writing desk. Well, it appears she's been ransacking other items of old furniture, because—amazing lady that she is—she has found another treasure, and it arrived in … Continue reading A Vintage Australian Touchdown
After recently dipping my toes into the cult of the Tomoe River, I wanted more. I wanted something I would use regularly, but not another new notebook—not just yet anyway. Soon, but not just yet. A couple of possibilities immediately leaped to mind... (i) I've never liked, or used, blank notebooks, and the blank insert … Continue reading Traveler’s Notebook meets the Paper Penguin
It seems like everybody who blogs about stationery has been singing the praises of Tomoe River Paper for years... To begin with, Tomoe River Paper is very smooth when writing. Rhodia/Clairefontaine level smooth. No matter the size of the nib - from 1.5 mm stub nibs down to my Japanese EF nibs - they all … Continue reading A Little Late to the Tomoe River Party
It's been a strange week here. Firstly, my wife had an accident at a conference in Ottawa (ice-rain + sidewalks = experience to be avoided), which aggravated an existing back problem and meant she wound up in bed for more than a week (a nightmare for Mrs. I Will Do Everything With No Help From Anyone). … Continue reading The Test of Little Use and a Little Abuse
So, let's pretend that I'm in the market for a nice, new fountain pen. It's a stretch of the imagination I know, but stay with me. I am going to imagine that I have done a little homework, read a few reviews, and fixed a budget of somewhere around the $220–$240 CAD price-point. So it's not … Continue reading Buying a New Pen: Some Decision-Making Tools
