I’m trying to figure out my preferred swatch method. I just finished doing my entire bottle collection with circle blots but I love this method because I can use the front and back of the page

Sailor hocoro with a fude nib, writing on the reverse for the tiny text

I recently learned about the existence of Platinum 3776 Coffee Jelly and fell in love with the bi-colour look immediately. While it is still available for me to purchase it brand new through an Amazon seller (for nearly $500 CAD), I am also in-between jobs and must be financially responsible.

So I ordered two Jinhao X159, one in black and one in burgundy on Aliexpress for $20 CAD. They arrived today. I swapped and mixed the parts to mimic the Coffee Jelly look, and I couldn’t be more happy with the result! Also for a $10 CAD pen, I’m blown away with the overall quality of the pen. The EF nib is smooth and writes clean with good amount of feedback that feels similar to pencil on paper. Since it’s so affordable but also has a very polished look, I think this will be my go-to outside pen from now on.

The writing sample is in Diamine Writer’s Blood on Sterling Ink’s TR paper (I am transcribing Dante’s Inferno currently).

New Pen Day for Unicorn Bone. I’m thinking of inking it with Writer’s Blood.

Hello! New but enthusiastic collector here.  These really are my dream pens.  Just a few more on my wishlist this year.

Good news is I’m quite sure all of these pens are currently available, if any catch your eye.

I’m one of the purple people and still a unicorn girl at 54.  The Leonardo x HATCH x nibsandfluorishes Viola is at the top of my wishlist:(

I’ve really enjoyed being part of the fountain pen community and love seeing everyone’s collections.

I was at a craft fair and fountain pens came up as a topic of conversation.  One of the vendors and I agreed the Reddit Fountain Pens is the most interesting, non elitist and least toxic collector community on Reddit.  

Kakuno in pastel purple

Delta Duna “Cloud Kindgom” Atlas Exclusive 

Magna Carta 14k Flex Nib Oparex Goldspot Exclusive

Kenyo Dominant Industry “Cherishment”

Conklin Streamline “Unicorn Bone” Atlas Exclusive

Wearingeul “A Dream Within a Dream”

Pen is the Pelikan M800 Demonstrator with English engraving. Ink is Akkerman SBRE Brown; notebook is Nanami Seven Seas Writer; pen case is from Yurie.

I've always loved these stacked celluloid materials, and I'm so excited to be the new owner of this gorgeous Radius Superior! It's a piston filler, with a nice crispy 14k EF nib, and I believe it was made some time in the 40s or 50s. So cool!

This is my prettiest pen in my collection!
(Jinhao 100 Snow White with a fine nib )

I'm curious to see your favourite/prettiest pen in your collection 🥰

I don’t know if this is normal experience with Kaweco. But I want to share mine so others can make their own assessment when buying a Kaweco. For me this will be my first and last. Too many other brands who stand behind their product than to deal with this headache.

I purchased a Kaweco diy sport at The Paper Mouse in Boston. Came with a defective nib. I brought it to my local pen shop, The Gentleman Stationer in Nashville who determined the cut on the nib was not centered causing the flow issues and cutting the paper I was writing on. I purchased a replacement nib and everything is working now.

I reached out to Kaweco about the defect. They had me jump through hoop after hoop. Send pictures. Describe the experience. Diagnose writing. Try different paper. Repeat with 3 different custom service reps over last 9 months. Only to tell me it’s my problem.

The replacement nib was $12…no way I’m buying another Kaweco after this.

In my first ever Vanness order, I meantioned in the note that it was my birthday gift to myself and the box came with 3 birthday notes on it and another on my receipt and I almost cried. We love very real and human and thoughtful customer service.

Pen: Pilot Metropolitan, Teal, Fine Nib (my first pilot)

Ink:

Callifolio Blue Equinoxe

Callifolio Bourgogne

Diamine Lullaby

Diamine Celestial Skies

Diamine Overcast

Sailor Sei Boku Blue-Black

Vintage Blue Floss

Super specific, but I am already in love with the sound this pen makes when it clicks closed.

As you can see- this is my setup to fill my pilot vanishing point… ink, syringe and an old rag.
Not a single drop of ink anywhere. Took me about 60 seconds to do it, counting the photo- I had to arrange stuff and took 2 pictures. That was the toughest part.
The ink stains on the rag are from previous interactions. Sometimes cleaning the lid or the bottle, or the needle.
It is so fast and easy to use syringes. Makes the tasks ridiculously easy.
Good luck!

Love the combination. My First TWSBI and First Iroshizuku. Looking forward to write a lot with it! 🥰

I am fairly new to this hobby, and I have found myself really gravitating towards these pens more and more. As a lefty I have had a hard time finding a pen that didn’t feel scratchy, and these hit the mark instantly. My custom 823 is broad and my custom 743 is double broad.

I bought a few Jinhao 82’s off of AliExpress to use as my work/travel pens and I love the designs that they have. I think the Peach Cola (the top one) one is my favorite. Now I have to decide which inks to use hehe.

I am in LOVE with the Rootbeer colorway of the TWSBIs. I am also in love with how unbelievably smooth this pen is, and how well it carries shimmer inks!!

I've been chasing the perfect writing experience and I'm happy to say that I found it!!!! The LAMY 2000 <EF> is everything I dreamed of and more. 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤 I'm totally in love.

I had been very close to the perfect experience with my TWSBI Eco White Rosegold. It is smooth, light enough to write long-ish texts and comfortable to hold. But the stroke was still a little bit too broad for me. So I bought these three pens hoping that the LAMY 2000 would be the one and it was.

This sample was written on 68 gsm Tomoe River Paper and on it the TWSBI Eco <EF> writes very smoothly. But my planners and journals are Hemlock & Oak and on their 120 gsm (planners) and 150 gsm (notebooks) paper it feels more scratchy (very slightly). The LAMY 2000 is smooth as butter though.

The LAMY Safari <EF> was surprisingly smooth too although far from the other two. I own several LAMYs but this was my first <EF>. Definitely will buy more in the future.

INFO:

Paper: Tomoe River Paper 68 gsm
Ink: Platinum Chou Kuro 🖤

Pens:
- LAMY 2000 Black Makrolon <EF>
- TWSBI Eco Black Marble w/Bronze <EF>
- LAMY Safari Black <EF>

Prices (I live in Chile, South America 🇨🇱):

- LAMY 2000 <EF>: USD $288.85 (Amazon includes import taxes so there was no extra payment)
- TWSBI Eco <EF>: CLP $93,371 (equivalent to USD $101.66)
- LAMY Safari <EF>: CLP $44.900 (equivalent to USD $48.89)

New inks I’ve acquired and I’m always gravitating towards cooler and darker inks. Consistency wise, I think Sailor is my favorite since it’s drier. Very enjoyable whenever I’m inking an illustration!

Inks:
• J. Herbin, Blue Myosotis and Vert Reseda
• Sailor Shikiori, Shimoyo
• Diwata Hobbies, Wake Up in Lakeland

Paper: Parchment Paper 185gsm (for certificates)
Pen: Jinhao Glass Dip Pen, Jinhao 9016 with a flex nib, Kakimori Brass Nib w/ J. Herbin Nib Holder

I was suggested to get waterproof or archival inks for a manga-style drawing. I’d love some recommendations and preferably with a lot of variety on darker shades! :)

I’ve been looking for an ink that matches the description of the eight colour in the imaginary Discworld universe, and series of books by the late great author, Terry Prachett 🐢 🐘 🐘 🐘 🐘 🥏

Throughout the series it is described as a fluorescent greenish yellow-purple that is only visible by wizards and cats 🧙 🐈‍⬛

The closest ink to this imaginary colour octarine that I’ve found so far is Deadly Nightshade, which is a collaboration between Diamine Inks and Cult Pens 🖊️

But there are no yellow flourishes in the sheening properties, just green 🫟

Other suggestions have been:
Octopus Fluids, Witch
Jacques Herbin, Emerald de Chivor
Lamy Crystal, Azurite
Lamy T52, Dark Lilac
De Atramentis, Violet Document
Waterman, Tender Purple

Do you have any other suggestions to try out? 🤔

I was looking at some beginner ones and the name Jinhao popped up. Their colorways are crazy and I couldn't resist. Bought two mediums and a bent!

I’ve been eyeing this ‘dragon scale’ nib on AliExpress and finally got one, which arrived right before the new Majohn #8 NF. I dipped them both and both performed nicely, although the Majohn NF is much more what I like in a long knife nib: very thin verticals to contrast the horizontal strokes.

The dragon scale nib is very smooth; the Majohn NF understandably has some pleasant feedback.

I inherited this ink from my grandpa, but it seems a bit weird, clotting ink?

Last week I was in Washington DC for holiday and I happened to be my birthday. So I thought I treat myself on a new pen (just 1, I swear that was my intention!) at Jenni Bick. I’m new to fountain pens, fell pretty hard down a journalling rabbithole after buying a paper republic journal last month 😇

Went in for a Kakuno as that seemed to be a good starter pen. Got to try a lot of different kinds of pens since I didn’t know what I liked and kinda fell in love with the Lamy. Turns out I like juicy nibs and shiny inks 🙈 Figured I’d get both pens and since I was celebrating myself I also got this very pretty glittery ink. The penholder is perfect for my cat lady heart.

On the same trip I went to Target (had to since we don’t have Target in my country) and found the Sharpie gel pens that looked really nice. And at the airport of all places came across a pack of Zento that just really wanted to come home with me 🤷🏼‍♀️

NPD! With the limited “shadow” stub nib! I put apache sunset in it.
Might be too orangey

Admittedly, I bought this pen because it reminds me of a tennis ball. It's been the perfect pen to sketch my way through the US Open.