Gourmet Pens

Review: Word Lined Notebooks - Swedish Camo

2013-05-21T06:30:00.000-07:00

Don't we all need pocket notebooks for... well... our pockets? Or purses, or bags, or totes, or just to have on us in whatever you carry? I can't go anywhere without a pocket notebook. If I don't have one with me, I feel naked. I currently use Field Notes because they're cute and fun, and now I get to give these Word. notebooks a spin! Thank you Brenda from Word. Notebooks for sending these for me to review.

ABOUT

Size: 3.5" x 5"
Color: White
Ruling: Lined
Sheet Count: 48
Price: $9.99USD
Where to buy: Word

APPEARANCE

These Word. notebooks are in the Swedish Camo pattern. They are traditional pocket notebook sized - not big, not too small - with clean, rounded corners on the outer edges. The spine is staple bound neatly. The cover has "Word." printed on it in a little white circle, amidst the pattern. Inside, the pages are white, with really nice, easy on the eyes lines that are visible enough to serve their purpose. There are strange circles along the inside of the margins, and a little guide on how to use these on the inside of the front cover.

PERFORMANCE & FEEL

When you glance at these notebooks, surely you think of Field Notes. They share the same size and general function. The whole notebook feels sturdy and after bending it around and shoving it into my pocket and bag, it's held up well. The edges got a little wrinkly but it hasn't fallen apart - the staples have held and no pages have torn off.

The paper is neither overly smooth nor is it textured. It does not have a glossy coating on it. The paper in these pocket notebooks is quite similar to other pocket notebooks I am familiar with (such as Field Notes). It tolerates gel pens, pencils, ballpoints, and fine roller ball pens well. There is no bleed through or show through with these pens. I suspected it wouldn't work so well with fountain pens and I was right. Even fine nibs bled through the page and there is a lot of show through, as well as feathering with wetter writing.

The unique bullet point system used in Word. notebooks is explained on their product page.

...Lets you organize your tasks efficiently. Simply fill in the bullet point when writing an item on that line. Trace the circle around it when it’s important and add a slash when you’ve started work on it. Once the task is complete, simply mark down an “X” and move on to the next item on your list. It’s an easy way to keep track of all your notes.

I very much like the unique bullet point system - it takes some getting used to but once you remember the symbols, it certainly helps to keep your pocket notebook tidy. (You should see my other ones... they're a disaster by the time they're full). The little circles are fun for color coordinating as well - color them in to indicate the importance or relevance of your task!

Top to bottom: Field Notes memo book, Word. notebook, Rhodiarama notebook, Quo Vadis habana.

PROS

Made in the USA.
Cover is 100% post-consumer recycled materials.
Both cover and interior paper is acid-free.
Unique bullet point system used in Word. notebooks.

CONS

Not fountain pen friendly. (Though they do not claim to be.)

OVERALL

The Word. Notebooks are a cute, quaint pocket notebook - priced comparable to its competitors, and sharing similar qualities to them (made in the USA, acid-free paper). They have a variety of different covers to choose from. As for its ability to tolerate fountain pens, honestly, when I have a pocket notebook in my pocket, I am not using a fountain pen with it (a fountain pen couldn't actually fit in my pocket!). I'm using a gel pen, Fisher Space pen, or pencil with it. Of course this means some people will have no interest in it and that's totally fine. I think it's a fun option for those who are looking for a pocket notebook, so if fountain pen friendly paper is not a requirement, I do recommend you give Word. notebooks a whirl!

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I was provided these notebooks free of charge to sample, play with, get accustomed to, and review. I was not compensated monetarily to write this review. All opinions are my own.

Mailbox Goodies: Prize and Parcel

2013-05-20T06:30:00.000-07:00

This week, I received two boxes - one was a prize and the other was a parcel! The parcel was from Pentel of America and included a whole set of their Recycology products. Thanks Pentel!

The prize was from Kenro and included a Sheaffer VFM fountain pen and a bottle of Sheaffer Skrip ink. Thank you Kenro!

Sunday Reads - May 19. 2013

2013-05-19T06:30:00.000-07:00

Pencil Revolution reviews the Palomino Blackwing Pearl pencil. It's pretty.
The Pen Addict reviews Platinum's new Balance fountain pen.
Yet another reason Commander Chris Hadfield is super awesome. I will miss him being in space, but having him back on Earth will be pretty cool too :)
FPQuest reviews the Edison 2012 LEE.
Inktronics reviews the Fabriano EcoQua notebook.
Henri Le Chat Noir has his own YouTube channel!
The Pen Addict reviews the Uni-Ball Lead Holder (it's RED!).
If you don't already listen to The Pen Addict podcast, you should most certainly listen to it this week. Because not only is Ana of The Well-Appointed Desk on it, they even make mention of little ol' me! (But myself aside, it's awesome.) After you have listened to this week, you should subscribe to it, then go back and listen to them all because they're hilarious. And very educational. You know, if you want to learn everything there is to know about pens.
Podcast follow up at The Well-Appointed Desk - notebooks for fountain pens.
Check out this awesome calligraphy from Suzanne (@concernedowl), posted on Instagram.

Currently Inked - May 18. 2013

2013-05-18T06:30:00.000-07:00

Well, here's a tidbit of what's inked this week. Why not the rest? More got inked after this...

Wahl-Eversharp 2nd Generation Doric + Adjustable #7 nib

Akkerman Pulchri Pink

TWSBI Diamond 580 + 1.5mm Stub

Pilot Iroshizuku Ku Jaku

Kaweco ICE Sport + Broad nib

Kaweco blue cartridge

Noodler's Creaper piston-filler + flex

J. Herbin Rouge Hematite

TWSBI Diamond 540 + Extra-fine nib

Sailor Jentle Apricot

FPR Dilli + Flex

Pelikan Edelstein Amber

Parker 51 Demi + Fine (?) nib

J. Herbin Lie de Thé

FPR Dilli + Fine flex

Caran d'Ache Saffron

Pilot Parallel 3.8mm calligraphy pen

Pilot Parallel pink cartridge

Waterman 94 + Music nib

Pilot Iroshizuku Kiri-same

Pen Pal Scribbles

2013-05-17T06:30:00.000-07:00

Review: @PilotPenUSA FriXion Erasable Highlighters @JetPens

2013-05-16T06:30:00.000-07:00

A lovely tweep sent me these three Pilot FriXion erasable highlighters - thank you Tallia! I was thrilled too because I had held out on FriXions for the longest time (stupid me), so I went all out when these arrived. Plus, Tallia picked some great colors. Violet, pink, and blue are way more exciting than the yellow.

The Pilot FriXion erasable highlighters are pretty neat looking. The bodies are bright and attractive, with writing I can't read on them. Not that it matters. It's pretty easy to figure out what they are. My trio of highlighters look pretty cute together and I can't help but think Pilot should make some more colors because that would be pretty awesome to look at.

I'm still fascinated by the FriXion erasing mechanism. It's so efficient and clean and easy!I love the appearance of the little erasing nub on the end of the FriXions.

How well do they work? Very well indeed. The tips are clean and precise and lay down a smooth, consistent line. Once the line has dried, it's so easy to erase whatever you want using the little nub. When highlighting over three different pen ink types: liquid ink, gel ink, and ballpoint ink, the highlighter gave no problems with bleeding of any of these inks from the three pens I tested. Erasing works best over the ballpoint pen, not surprisingly. The liquid ink pen smudged ever so slightly but it's hardly noticeable. The gel pen smudged even less than the liquid ink pen, so with any of these ink types, you shouldn't have much trouble. Furthermore, the ink doesn't bleed through the page, even on quite thin paper.

So far, my only complaint about these highlighters (and FriXions in general) is the location of the little nub. While it probably looks best at the end of the pen, it's a bit annoying if the pen is posted and you need to erase something. This happens more with pens than highlighters though (which I don't usually post).

I am happy that these pens are made with 76% recycled materials. That's not too shabby. Too bad they're not refillable!

With regard to the special ink, JetPens says:

These new highlighters from Pilot erase by FRICTION! The highlighters have a special rubber end to rub the thermo sensitive ink away with, thus no eraser by-products are produced, yet your highlights disappear magnificently. Best of all, they are made of 76% recycled plastic. Remember to also check out the FriXion pens!

Interestingly enough, the ink in FriXion pens will actually reappear when the temperature reaches below -10 C (under 14 Fahrenheit). A freezer is sufficiently cold enough to make the ink start to reappear. It is like a magic pen for adults!

Because the ink in FriXion pens are thermo sensitive, we do not advise for them to be left in hot cars, used for mailing, or subjected to a condition that exposes it to a lot of friction.

Cool. I can deal with that. I didn't try putting them in direct sunlight and then into the freezer. That would be a fun experiment. Anyhow, take this as a warning that you probably shouldn't use FriXions for really important things. Just in case.

Price
JetPens - $1.65
Overall
A fun twist on a regular old highlighter. The Pilot FriXion erasable highlighters are good looking highlighters, they have nice, solid colors, clean lines, and are erasable! How exciting!! For only $1.65, they're not too bad at all. I really enjoy using these and I'm so grateful to Tallia for sending these to me! They have a permanent home in my pencil case!

Giveaway at JetPens

2013-05-15T21:22:00.002-07:00

Head over to JetPens and enter to win:

- 1 x pack of Palomino Blackwing Wooden Pencils - 602 Model
- 1 x Palomino KUM Automatic Brake Long Point 2 Step Pencil Sharpener

Don't miss out! Entries accepted until Sunday, May 19, 2013 at Midnight Pacific.

Wordless Wednesday

2013-05-15T06:30:00.000-07:00

Winner of the Private Reserve DC Supershow Blue Fountain Pen Ink

2013-05-14T21:14:00.000-07:00

The winner of the Private Reserve DC Supershow Blue fountain pen ink is Sue Collister! The winner has been emailed! If I don't hear back from them within three days, a new winner will be drawn.

Thank you as always for entering and sharing! Stay tuned for more giveaways!

Review: Franklin-Christoph Black Magic Writing Fluid @PiperFC

2013-05-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

Scott at Franklin-Christoph was so kind as to send me samples of the new Franklin-Christoph Writing Fluids - a.k.a fountain pen inks - to try out and review. First up is the Black Magic ink!

Cute sample bottle!

ABOUT

Top - one line from a Pilot Parallel 6.0mm. Bottom; three lines from the same pen.

Color: Black
Bottle: 59 ml
Price: $12.50
Price/ml: $0.21/ml
Where to buy: Franklin-Christoph

The first thing I noticed - and I mean the second the nib hit the page - is how fast this ink dries. Even on the Rhodia dot pad I was using. It was dry in a split second, even in broad nibs and wet nibs. It's like the paper just sucked the ink up and it was gone. This certainly caused the bleed through and feathering that is obviously visible, but it also means it's pretty water resistant. Besides, sometimes you just need an ink that dries darned fast, don't you? The hilarious thing about the water test is that I usually test dried ink and wet ink (just to see how much it will smear when wet) and I could NOT get it to stay wet in time for me to smear a brush over it.

I tested the ink on Franklin-Christoph's own sugarcane paper (more details on this paper in a future post at FPGeeks), which the ink was formulated to perform best on. It did perform a little better - slightly less bleed through but more than enough to deter a lot of users.

PROS

Dries in a split second!
Deep, solid black.
Water resistant.
High saturation but was easy to clean from my pens.

CONS

Bleeds through paper that is typically fountain pen friendly (including Franklin-Christoph's own paper).
Shows through paper that is typically fountain pen friendly (including Franklin-Christoph's own paper).
Feathers where ink pools or where the pen pauses in writing.

OVERALL

Well this is a finicky ink, there's no doubt about that. It bleeds through what is otherwise fountain pen friendly paper, there is show through, and there is feathering, even with fine nibs. However, I was completely fascinated by how fast it dries, how jet black it is, and I was pleased that it was water resistant (at least in the water brush and water dripping test. I make no guarantees it'll survive being tossed in a river.). I have been using it to address the outsides of my envelopes to pen pals lately.

I received this sample free of charge from Franklin-Christoph to review and enjoy. My opinions are 100% my own and completely honest. I was not compensated monetarily to write this review.

Mailbox Goodies: Pen Pal Goods

2013-05-13T06:30:00.000-07:00

Two of my sweet pen pals, Tanja and Jennie, have sent along some very useful things for me to enjoy - ink samples and stationery!

Tanja sent me this adorable post card (which looks like her very own art work) along with Noodler's Habanero and Noodler's Lexington Grey.

Jennie sent me very cute (and random, another of my favorite things) stationery cards, some lemon ginger tea to try out - yes, I very much enjoy teas - stickers, and a hilarious To/From.


To: The Ink Harlot (that would be me.) From: The Paper Tramp (that would be Jennie.) Awesome.

Thank you both! One can never have too many inks or stationery. ... Right? Besides, I use both on a daily basis!

Sunday Reads - May 12. 2013

2013-05-12T06:30:00.000-07:00

Where do old cell phones go to die?

Stop by and wish Julie happy four years of blogging at Pens Paper Inks...Whatever!

Zeller Writing Company is having a giveaway!

Raw Data: A Hand-Drawn Animation with Ink, Gouache, White-out and Coffee.

Rants of the Archer shares May's Carnival of Pen, Pencil , and Paper! Don't forget to prepare your posts for next month's carnival as well!

Kayte at Delectable Pens needs some reader suggestions for a pen - check out her post and leave a comment if you have any ideas!

Ed Jelley reviews J . Herbin's Terre de Feu - an ink I have never used, believe it or not!

Pentorium does a long-term review of the TWSBI Vac 700.

Check out Brent Acuff''s interview on JetPens! (I am honored to say we write to each other, even though I am slow to reply...)

From The Pen Cup - check out Mary's FPtv Edison win! God it's gorgeous. iwant.

Taylor Skidmore's guest post at The Pen Addict is a great read. I'm so glad pen people stick around no matter what.

The sad cat diaries. Pretty accurate, I'd say.

And a ridiculously cute Sand Cat picture, taken by Mr. Guilt!

Ridiculously cute Sand Cat image by Mr. Guilt!

Waterman 94 Music Nib Writing Sample

2013-05-11T06:30:00.000-07:00

Following up from yesterday's post about my newest (old) Waterman, I present to you a poor video quality writing sample. Sorry for the quality, by the way. I shot it quickly, just to see if it was possibly for me to write with this while recording. It's not really. Not with any quality anyway.

Nevertheless, if you haven't seen them already (I posted them on Twitter/Facebook etc), I hope you will enjoy them!

Mailbox Goodies: Waterman 94 + Factory Original Music Nib

2013-05-10T06:30:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the end of my... um... two week hiatus (April 14ish - April 30), Kevin gave me this crazy gorgeous pen. So basically, all the money I saved on said hiatus was spent. And then some. But that's on him, not me.

I felt this gorgeous creature deserved its own post, apart from Mailbox Goodies. So instead of throwing it into the Mailbox Goodies mix on Monday, here it is with some messy writing samples. You may have seen some of them before, but if you haven't, I hope you enjoy them. As I get the hang of this nib, hopefully my writing will improve! (Hopefully, she says.)

I love pens that guzzle ink.

LOVE.

Don't laugh at the weird things I write please.

Review: Sula Jane and Earl Single Pen Sleeve - Carnation Pink

2013-05-09T06:30:00.000-07:00

This lovely carnation pink pen sleeve is from Sula Jane and Earl. Most pen addicts need some way to protect their precious pens as they are toted around in their bags. This one is a great contender for that position.

ABOUT

Size: 6.5" x 1.75"
Color: Carnation Pink
Price: $24.00USD
Where to buy: Sula Jane and Earl

APPEARANCE

The Sula Jane and Earl single pen sleeve is a slim, soft, cute little pen sleeve. When empty, it lies flat. The edges are stitched with thread that is color-matched to the leather. It has a cute shape - somewhat edgy on the bottom and a rounded top. The SJ&E logo is debossed on both sides. The leather has a lovely pebbled/grainy appearance to it.

PERFORMANCE & FEEL

The pen sleeve is made of soft leather and has a little bit of texture to it; it's quite nice to hold and feel. Even though it is soft and floppy when empty, it is easy to slip a pen into the pen sleeve and once the pen is in it, it holds its form nicely. The soft unfinished leather inside won't scratch pen surfaces.

A "normal" sized pen stays in the sleeve quite snugly and does not fall or slip out. A short pen like a Kaweco ICE Sport is a pain to get into this because it's short and to get it out, I have to push it out like squeezing toothpaste out of a tube. It works but it's not very efficient. Therefore, a full-sized pen is better.

Slim but heavy pens can slide out of the sleeve if wiggled around a little, although I'm not sure how realistic a scenario that is. It could happen though. For example, a Lamy Safari-sized pen fits snugly though, and does not slide. If you're worried about whether your pen will fit, you don't have enough pens. If you acquire a pen sleeve and your pen does not fit, either get a pen that fits or send your pen sleeve to me. Easy peasy.

I now keep this pen sleeve in my purse - it's low profile and is not bulky at all. It does a great job of protecting my pen of carrying choice (which varies) from scratches, scuffs, and bumps.

PROS

Hand-cut, drawn, and sewn
Made in the USA.
Easy to clean with mild soap and water.
Many colors to choose from!

CONS

Too big for short or very thin pens. Get a shorty pen sleeve for that.
An option for a fold over top or button top would be convenient (but perhaps not feasible).

OVERALL

If you can actually pick just one pen to keep with you, then you should certainly pick up a Sula Jane and Earl single pen sleeve! If you can't pick a color, well, then you should get several because there are just so many gorgeous colors to choose from! Great quality, functional and practical, and super cute. How could I not recommend these??

This sweet pen sleeve was sent for review by Sula Jane and Earl. I was not compensated for this review. All opinions here are 100% my own and not influenced in any way. Except by the awesome product.

Try a Banditapple Carnet Notebook for $3USD

2013-05-08T20:59:00.002-07:00

If you've ever wanted to try the handmade Banditapple Carnet notebooks, now is a great time. Arnie, the creator of Banditapple Carnet, is currently offering:

1 single note via regular air mail (2-3 weeks) while supplies last.
You must pay $3USD via PayPal in advance for shipping.

If you would like to take advantage of this offer, click here for more information!

If you are curious about these notebooks, check out my review of the Banditapple Carnets here.

Wordless Wednesday

2013-05-08T06:30:00.000-07:00

Giveaway Round Up

2013-05-07T21:12:00.001-07:00

Notebook Stories is having a giveaway of Word Notebooks. Check it out and enter to win! Ends Friday, May 10, 2013 at 11:59PM, EST.

Image from Notebook Stories

This Saturday, May 11, 2013, during FPGeeks FPtv, we will be giving away a Rosetta Napoleon Pocket Fountain Pen in purple marble Italian acrylic. Check out FPGeeks for entry details. Oh, did I mention Tyco will be the special guest?

Zeller Writing Company is giving away one of their recently released steam bent pen stands in celebration of reaching 200 Twitter followers! Awesome. Click for more information! Ends in six days.

Last but not least, Fountain Pen Revolution is having a wonderful and generous giveaway (as they often do!). You can enter to win a handmade Guider Raja with press bar filler valued at $59 and an FPR Dilli with nib of your choice valued at $18…. A total of $77 in pens plus free global shipping. Click here to enter to win! Ends in two days.

Review & Giveaway: Private Reserve DC Supershow Blue Ink

2013-05-07T06:30:00.000-07:00

Hey folks! I hope you enjoy my review of Private Reserve's DC Supershow Blue fountain pen ink - this bottle was a gift from my friend. Speaking of that friend, José has kindly offered to sponsor a US-only giveaway for you lucky ducks!! After I force you to read my review, you can enter the giveaway at the bottom!

ABOUT

Color: Blue
Bottle: 50 ml
Price: $8.80
Price/ml: $0.17/ml
Where to buy: Goulet Pens

This ink dries at what I would consider a normal speed - not fast, not slow. With fine nibs, it's pretty quick, and with wetter nibs, it takes a little longer (30 - 40 seconds) but that's not all that long with a wet nib.

PROS

Nice, classic blue.
Exhibits some shading.
No feathering.
No bleed through.
Minimal show through.

CONS

Not water resistant.
Unattractive label on bottle/box.

OVERALL

Private Reserve DC Supershow Blue fountain pen ink is a classic deep blue ink. It's a well-behaved ink - it doesn't feather or bleed, and for a fairly saturated ink, it has minimal show through. It is quite affordable and is a great basic blue for work, school, and everything else, especially if you can ignore the unattractive label. The only real downside is that it's not water resistant so if you need a water resistant blue, you'll have to look elsewhere. Otherwise, I recommend you give this ink a go.

Please read the terms and conditions to make sure you qualify for this giveaway! Due to high shipping costs, this is a US-only giveaway! I'm sorry to eliminate half our readers, but shipping is just about the same as the cost of the ink itself!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mailbox Goodies: Calepino, Stickers & A Painting

2013-05-06T06:30:00.000-07:00

Soooooooo, I have been itching to try Calepino notebooks forever, and I just never bit the bullet on them. Why? They just aren't available at my usual retailers. Steve sent me this very pretty parcel here.

Inside the box...Calepino goodies!!! HAEHAEHAHEAHE!

I don't know if this was just sheer luck or if he already knew, but I am obsessed with tote bags. It is one of my "associated addictions". A Calepino tote bag? Magical. This is practically a unicorn.

He even sent a present for my neglected husband Kevin. (This seems to be a new trend... the Andersons also sent Kevin a present... I don't know if I like this!)

Adorable card? Yes please. I hated having to part with the notepad to give it to Kevin...

My real mailbox is pretty awesome, but sometimes my e-mail box (is that a thing? E-box?) is pretty lucky too. My pen-pal Tiffany sent me this - a painting she did of my Ken Cavers green swirl cigar fountain pen. It's pretty darned good, I'd say. Thanks Tiffany, I love it!

I also received some National Stationery Week stickers from Margaret at Write At Home! Thank you Margaret! You all know I love stickers, and I have now discovered another site to peruse, woo hoo!

Sunday Reads - May 5. 2013

2013-05-05T06:30:00.000-07:00

Melody is giving away "Making Your Creative Mark" on her blog - check it out and enter to win!
Ana at The Well-Appointed Desk reviews the Pilot Metropolitan fountain pen.
The Well-Appointed Desk reviews Pilot Iroshizuku Chiku-Rin ink.
Check out the Taccia Savanna fountain pen at Write To Me Often.
Leigh offers great tips for taking better pen photos, at My Life As A Verb.
What happens when pirates play a game development simulator and then go bankrupt because of piracy?
Pencil Revolution reviews the Palomino Blackwing 602 pencil.
Two chips: an animated short.
Does your faith in humanity need a boost? Probably. The best of humanity caught on Russian dash cams.

Pile of Fountain Pens

2013-05-04T06:30:00.000-07:00

Sometimes this is how my fountain pens hang out. Please don't judge me.

@TWSBI Diamond 540 & 580: What I Like About You

2013-05-03T06:30:00.000-07:00

The TWSBI 540 versus 580 that is. There are a few changes in the TWSBI 580 over the 540 model. They're pretty aesthetically minor. Most people probably wouldn't notice them at first glance. After really observing them, I think I prefer some aspects of the 540. But then I start to think I prefer some things on the 580. So I solved this by having both. If you're curious about my insanities (surely you are), here they are.

The FPGeeks have a post about the differences between the two bodies. My post here is for me to tell you which pen I like better for what reason!

Between the two bodies, they look pretty similar. I think they're both quite attractive still, don't you? Yes. Of course you do. Now you want them both, don't you? Looking at them like this, I tend to like the look of the 540 better.

Top: TWSBI Diamond 540 clear body. Bottom: TWSBI Diamond 580 clear body.

Uncapped, you can see the TWSBI Diamond 580 has a metal ring added to the nib unit. This is supposed to help alleviate the cracking issue. I like the metal ring added to the 580 here. It gives it a more solid look.

Top: TWSBI Diamond 540 clear body. Bottom: TWSBI Diamond 580 clear body.

At the back of the pens, the metal plate inside the 540 was removed. It was replaced with a thicker ring on the outside of the body. I think this makes the end of the pen look very short so I don't like it very much, but it does match the pen well so it's easy to overlook. It's certainly not a reason not to buy the pen!

Top: TWSBI Diamond 540 clear body. Bottom: TWSBI Diamond 580 clear body.

The other difference is in the shape of the clip. It's hard to see with the reflections but if you loo closely, you can see that the clip of the 580 is more faceted whereas the 540 clip is rounded. I prefer the clip of the 580.

Top: TWSBI Diamond 540 clear body. Bottom: TWSBI Diamond 580 clear body.

In conclusion, and quite simply, you can see why I needed both pens, right?

Review: @ResorShop 014. Kraft Paper Midori Traveler’s Notebook Refill

2013-05-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

A little while ago, my pal and reader Stephen contacted me to inform me he had discovered the Kraft Paper refill for the Traveler's Notebook. He said I also had to get one to test it with stub and broader nibs. A reader request that meant I had to make a purchase of something I wanted? Done.

A Midori Kraft Refill notebook (left) and a 2012 Trip Traveler's Notebook (right) in a Midori Traveler's Notebook.

ABOUT

Made in Japan
Size: 4.5" x 8.5"
Color: Brown
Ruling: Blank
Sheet Count: 64 pages
Price: $8.00USD
Where to buy: Rësor Shop

APPEARANCE

The Kraft Paper refill for the Midori Traveler's Notebook looks quite simple. It has a plain brown kraft cover with a lighter binding that wraps around the front and back cover. Inside, the kraft paper is a medium brown. Not a whole lot to describe here!

PERFORMANCE & FEEL

I love the feel of kraft paper - it's like a thinner brown paper bag. It instantly makes me feel creative and clever (I have no idea why). It is somewhat textured, but not like rough card stock, and it's just fun to do things like flip the pages and imagine what you want to do to it. Does that sound weird? ... Certainly. But that's what you are supposed to do with it. Imagine all the things you want to do to it.

The things I wanted to do to it was test it with fountain pens, because that's what Stephen suggested I do with it. The paper does not seem to be coated so I expected relatively normal drying times. I was also hoping for low feathering. Fine nibs and dry inks perform quite well - they dry between 10 - 20 seconds and don't smudge thereafter. They do not bleed or show through the page. They definitely do not feather on the page. Medium to broad nibs and wetter inks dry between 30 - 60 seconds. Very, very wet inks may smudge but this is not unusual.

I was surprised to find that, given that there is no real coating on the paper, the Pilot Parallel 6.0mm nib inked with Sailor Grenade presented its green sheen on this page. This ink shows its gorgeous greenish sheen when combined with the right paper, which is usually paper that has a coating, in which case the ink can saturated a spot on the page. Furthermore, the lines were all sharp and crisp.

There was very minimal show through, even with wet nibs, and no bleed through whatsoever. Some inks even presented their outlines.

Up to this point, the paper seemed to be completely fountain pen friendly - no bleed through, no show through, no feathering, and inks presented their outlines and sheens. The only strange thing I noticed was on certain pages, near the binding on the inside of the page, occasionally there would be small amounts of feathering with wet nibs. It didn't happen on the outside of the pages. So, there you have it. Perhaps it's this one notebook. It's almost completely fountain pen friendly. Perhaps 98%. I'll still get another in a heartbeat because I love kraft paper and all the pros outweigh this one thing easily.

Look closely at the Waterman 52 writing - see that wicked sheen? You can also see the feathering I'm referring to in the scribble of this ink sample on the left.

Rësor Shop suggests using monotone pens, pencils, and white pencils in the Kraft notebook. They also say it's perfect for scrap booking and mounting photos and souvenirs of your travels. I agree with all these, but it's pretty well-rounded for all uses.

PROS

Instantly makes you creative and cool.
Kraft paper is fun to use for many purposes.
Paper can tolerate gel pens, pencils, ball points, and fountain pens.
Almost completely fountain pen friendly paper.

No bleed through.
Very minimal show through.
Inks present their sheen.
Some inks will present their outlines.

Uhhh.... there is an error in this quote somewhere. Also, I was still practicing at this point so forgive the hideousness, please.

CONS

Close to the binding on the inside of some pages, wet nibs may feather.

OVERALL

If you have a Midori Traveler's Notebook, I would suggest you get a Kraft Paper refill - whether you want to scrapbook, doodle, scribble, or practice your calligraphy. In fact, even if you don't have one, you can enjoy this refill because it's still enjoyable. It's really cool paper to use and it tolerates fountain pens very well - bringing out some of the best qualities of ink! You may experience the occasional feathering, but it's kraft paper - it's part of the fun anyway.

Another Review To Float Your Boat
Juan Estey

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2013-05-01T22:18:00.002-07:00

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