How Many Versions of the Same Pen Does Anybody Need?

A few weeks ago, I was severely tempted by the Pelikan Souverän M600 Vibrant Orange Special Edition. So I went shopping, and discovered that I was less keen on the Vibrant Orange, than I was on the standard red and black striped model. So, after a bit of hunting around, I picked up the truly …

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A Soft-Fine Pilot Falcon, and a Custom 74: Contrasting Similarities (aka Liam Neeson Didn’t Steal My Pen)

I have had a few Pilot pens in my collection over the years, including a much loved Custom 823. Tragically, the 823 was stolen during the after-hours of an academic conference some years ago, whilst I was attempting to prove the hypothesis that a yard of Young's Winter Warmer could indeed be consumed in less …

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Picking Up a Pelikan Souverän M600

A little while ago, I was lucky enough to add a Pelikan M200, with a fine M400 14K gold nib, to my pen case... and it has seen pretty much constant use ever since. At the time, I said it was a narrow decision between that, and the larger, but considerably more expensive M600. Also, …

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Getting Lucky with a Medium-Fine Sailor

On the whole, my handwriting (such as it is), is not flattered by a fine nib. I mean, it's pretty poor with almost any nib, but better with some than others, and fine, needle-like nibs, which can catch on paper fibers, make my handwriting look, to be blunt, bloody awful. Which can be a bit …

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Pelikan Classic M200 Brown Marbled… What-the-Pelikan-Fuss?

For a long while now, I've been reading reviews, and watching so many videos, of some truly beautiful Pelikan pens. In particular, I've been sorely tempted by the M600 Vibrant Orange, and a while back, by the Classic M200 Brown Marbled. I've written with a few very nice, and very expensive, Pelikan pens over the …

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A Vintage Montblanc… or Two

I have made no secret of my traditionalist taste in fountain pens. I may go off the rails occasionally and ogle something earthy with a bit of gold marbling, or even go completely crazy and pick something up in burgundy and gold with a touch of translucence about the barrel. But if you were to …

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The Pen Addict vs. Lamy Shootout—Brad’s on Fire!

At around about the same time this year, three new products and one that was older than me, caught my eye. The first was a bursting orange from The Pen Addict's Brad Dowdy and the Australian manufacturer Robert Oster, with the nicely tongue-in-cheek name of Fire on Fire. This coincided with the delivery of a …

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Return of the Lackluster Lamy

Well, it kind of serves me right if nobody actually reads this it's been so long since I last posted; and before you read any further, you might want to check out an older post, in which this Lamy 2000 first appeared. Are you back? Good, then let's begin. It was actually months ago that …

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Sailor Pro Gear Slim (Sapporo) Special Edition Earth

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, …

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The Lament of the Lackluster Lamy 2000

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 …

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