I'm a big fan of TWSBI's inexpensive range of fountain and ballpoint pens. In my opinion, they beat the competition from brands like Lamy (who seem to be unable to get even their flagship pen to write reliably) hands down. So when I heard about the new TWSBI Swipe on episode #471 of the Pen …
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 …
Continue reading Pelikan Classic M200 Brown Marbled… What-the-Pelikan-Fuss?
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 …
Continue reading The Pen Addict vs. Lamy Shootout—Brad’s on Fire!
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 …
Well, you know you've hit the big time as a pen and stationery blogger when you can start your post, "[Insert big time pen retailer here] sent me this pen to review..." And a little while ago, a nice guy from the US retailer Pen Chalet reached out and asked if I would like to …
Continue reading Platinum Plaisir in Silver, from Pen Chalet
I don't really do ink reviews, I'm not equipped to do a particularly good job—my scanner, and camera lighting, don't reflect what is actually seen on the page as accurately as I would like. And I don't have a very extensive ink collection to review (but I'm getting there). What inks I have, I rely on …
First, let me tell you what this isn't; it isn't a deeply technical review of the pros and cons of various nibs, tipping materials, gold vs. steel (OK, it is a bit about that), and so on. It's about just getting a nib size right for you. What the sizes mean for the word on …
The other day I had my latest package arrive from the amazing Wonder pens of Toronto. As ever, an order is accompanied by a thank you note from Liz. Liz' postcards are almost as much fun to get as the package, their designs are great. I thought you could buy these on their web site, …
We stand a good chance of getting confused here, because I've already reviewed this pen. The Platinum Cool is really a Platinum Balance, only with what Platinum think is a cool demonstrator construction. In fact, Brad Dowdy of the Pen Addict reviewed the Platinum Cool under the name of the Platinum Balance, Crystal Blue, back …
If you begin to read fountain pen reviews, and collector's sites, you'll soon see a fair bit about starter or beginner pens, as if they were some sort of gateway drug to the harder, and more expensive, Montblanc or Nakaya. And who am I to judge the analogy? It may well ring true for a lot …
Continue reading The Platinum Balance: This is a REAL Starter Pen
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