Inkyjournal - reviews of fountain pens, notebooks, moleskine and ink

New official Moleskine App

2011-04-18T13:33:00.003+02:00

The wait is over!
The official Molesine App for iPhone and iPad is here!

Go to the App Store and download for free the official Moleskine App for iPhone and iPad.

Noodler's Black Swan in English Roses

2011-03-09T09:14:00.001+01:00

This ink looks great! I want it!!

Noodler's Burma Road Brown

2011-01-04T18:00:00.004+01:00

I bought this bottle from Brian Goulet owner of the Goulet Pen Company. It is a great shop for pen enthusiasts, Brian will make you a satisfied customer. I was looking for a dark color I could use every day but was something different then my Noodler's Black. In World War II this Burma Road was very important for the English troops. Noodler's received some dated vintage ink samples dated around World War II. From these samples they made this

Color
The color is green/brown and very saturated dark. The shading on Rhodia and Moleskine papers are different but looks very nice on both of them. This is the color I was looking for. It is more green I think then brown.

Writing
I had no trouble with the flow of this ink in any pen I used. Drying time in the Moleskine is 3-5 seconds which is great I think. On Rhodia paper it takes a lot longer, at least more then 15 seconds with my Lamy (broad).

Written review

Can't read it? Here's the translation:
"Noodler's Burma Road Brown

This is my Lamy Alstar (broad) filled with Noodler's Burma Road Brown.

It is a great color for anyone who wants to write with a dark color that is not black. I think it is more green then brown.

In this Lamy broad nib the ink flows great. The drying time of this ink is remarkable short on this Moleskine paper.

This Noodler's is certainly not Moleskine proof, but is a great writing ink for every day with a short drying time.

Noodler's ink costs about $ 0,14/ml

Woodworker"

The Bottle
The bottle contains about 3 oz. (All you Americans is that about 90ml?) Watch out opening the bottles of Noodler's for the first time. They are full to the edge. The bottle has good heights witch is great for large nibbed fountain pens.

None - Moleskinefriendly
To bad this ink is not Moleskine friendly. It leaks trough even my better Moleskines.

Noodler’s Ink has the lowest cost per volume in stores that carry it and it's 100% made in the USA from cap to glass to ink. The ink with the catfish on the label symbolizes a southern sport that attempts to equalize the struggle between man and animal in the quest for a sense of fair play — and thus a fair price.

My discoveries for 2010

2010-12-21T12:58:00.031+01:00

Last year I did a post on what my discoveries were for the year 2009. It was the year of me starting this blog. Many of you readers responded and I was a little bit overwhelmed. I thought I was the only one with this strange hobby. Past year I blogged less because of my disease in april 2010. But I overcame and lost almost 30kg (66 pounds). I want to thank you all for the sweet responses on that. It gives me a boost to start blogging again.

Paper
The trouble with some ink in Moleskine notebooks was the trigger for my 'quest' for Moleskine friendly ink. I found a lot of inks that performed outstanding in a Moleskine. I labeled them as 100% Moleskine-proof. Past year I discovered a great replacement for my personal journal through out the year. It is by far the best notebook I tried so far. The paper is fountain pen friendly. The paper is 90grams, crisp white and shows no see through or bleed through on any ink in any fountain pen I used so far. So why should I bother trying to search for Molsekine friendly ink when I can use any ink in a notebook that is better then the Moleskine! I have to rethink my blogging in the coming year on that.

My number 1 discovery for this past year was the Quo Vadis Habana, blank paper. I use for journaling the 4"x6-3/8" with blank paper which is 90grams. This is the US-version. The ones that can be bought in Europe all have other (less in quality) paper I don't like. I also don't like the lined version because that has 64grams paper. Strange company policy don't you think?

For every day use at work I still have the Moleskine Large with squared paper. If the Quo Vadis Habana was available in squared paper I would switch instantly completely to the Qua Vadis Habana. But in my work I have to use the squared paper.

Another strange policy of the Quo Vadis company is the decision to change the paper in the Habana. At last I found my holy grail in notebooks and now they are going to change it. I bought a whole bunch for the coming years at Goulet Pen Company. I really hope the Quo Vadis company will reconsider their choice.

Fountain Pen
I still use my Montblanc 149 (fine nib) every day at work. But I have found a new passion in 2010. It is not one pen. It is more a series of pens. The lineup extends every year with a great new model. They are collectors items. The Montblanc Writers Editions. I did not do reviews on them, but that will come in the coming year. So if you have Writers Editions you want to sell just call me and maybe I will be interested.

Also I bought some fountain pens with more wider nib's then the 'fine'-ones I used to write with in 2009. I love the broad wet line of a Lamy with a b-nib, or the smoothness of a Montblanc Mark Twain with a nice broad nib.

Ink
Hard choice to name one ink I was thrilled by past year. My every day ink in my Montblanc 149 is still the Noodler's Black. Their is one ink that I wrote with in my daily journal. It is an ink that is dark in color but not black. It is dark greenish and very brownish, all in one color. If Qua Vadis made the Habana with squared paper then I definitely would switch to this color instead of the Noodler's Black. My number one discovery for 2010 is again coming from Noodler's. It is the Noodler's Burma Road Brown of V-mail series. I will do a review on this ink in the coming year.

I will start posting again

2010-12-20T10:37:00.008+01:00

I have not blogged for a while. My last post was from june 2010. The reason was simple I invested my time in something else.

In april 2010 I was hospitalized for one week. The doctors diagnosed diverticulitis. It is a disease that is more often diagnosed on older men (grrrrr, I'm not that old!). But they saw it more and more on younger men with overweight.

I was 121kg (266 pounds) on a length of 1,87m1 (6,14 foot). Off course I knew for a long time this was not a good thing for my health. But it was hard to get it right between the ears and do something about it. Being in that hospital for a week I made a commitment to myself and my family, "I am going to lose some weight".

My goal was being 100 kg (220 pounds). I started running, bicycling, and eat less. I told my friends I would not drink beer or alcohol until I reached my goal.

The sporting took a lot of time in the evenings, time that I could not spend on writing on my blog. It was just a matter of setting my goals right. I reached my goal in september 2010. Men did I have a ball with my friends that night. For the first time a good dutch beer (or two, three…..).

I know am 93 kg (205 pounds). When I was 100kg I changed my goal to 91kg. When I reach that I can say I lost 30kg (66 pounds).

I now have the courage to blog again. I'll keep on sporting so I think I lower my blogposts (one post every one or two weeks?) a bit. I just can't stop writing on my one favorite hobby: fountain pens, notebooks, journaling etc.

Lamy Al-Star Coffee brown (broad)

2010-06-01T17:00:00.002+02:00

I bought this Lamy Safari Al-Star on La Couronne du Comte that has a great online store in the Netherlands. They every time exceed my expectations, with a nice gesture. Sometimes a nice gift-wrap, other times a nice bottle of free ink. Keep up the good work!

New color
This new color Lamy Al-Star is introduced in may 2010. Lamy calls it coffee brown. It is a very nice color indeed. Lamy is an independent family-owned enterprise which was established in 1930 by C. Josef Lamy in Heidelberg in Germany.

The model Al-Star is the same as the Safari model, only in the Al-Star the body is made of aluminum in stead of plastic. The Safari is definitive the most successful model Lamy ever made. Lamy made this color for 2010 as a Special Edition. Its design signals high-tech. Cool, light, robust and always ready. Excellent characteristics for wide-ranging use. Made completely of aluminium, with a robust wire clip.

This new color is available as a fountain pen, ballpoint pen and as a rollerball with cap.

The Nib
I bought this Lamy Al-Star with a broad-nib, which is my first 'broad' nib. It writes very smooth and lays a fine ink-line on the paper. Nothing to worry about.

Facts
lenght: 138mm (5,4") - with cap over the nib-side
lenght: 130mm (5,1") - without cap and ready to write
niblength: 16mm (0,6")
barrel: 12mm (0,5")
price: about $ 29,= to $ 31,= (€ 25,= to € 29,=)

Good ageless design
Great color
Good medium size
I like this broad nib

Not really a minor but the aluminum can feel sometimes a little bit cold

Sorry guys for not publishing a while

2010-05-30T17:19:00.003+02:00

I was hospitalized for a few weeks after some health problems. So I could not write anything for a while. Everything seems OK now, and I am full of energy again. I will start with writing again on one of my big passions: fountain pens, ink and notebooks. Some great fresh ideas crossed my mind. So I hope you will read again my blog with great enthusiasm.

Visconti Homo Sapiens (stub-nib)

2010-04-23T11:30:00.001+02:00

Visconti (from Florence, Italy) made a beautiful pen out of really ancient materials, bronze, lava and palladium. They introduced the pen at the Philadelphia Pen show in january 2010.

Package

The package contains, the pen, a beautiful luxury leather-feel box, a booklet on Visconti, a impregnate cloth for cleaning the bronze parts. Inside the booklet is a DVD on Visconti and on how to use the fountain pen. It also contains a seal with the serial number (mine is CG0015945459).

The pen

First thing that I noticed when I touched the pen was it's smoothness. The barrel feels like rubber or leather it gives a great writing experience. The material is a mixture of 50% lava (from the volcano Etna) and a precious resin. It has nice bronze details and rings on it. The material is hygroscopic and can handle some sweat from the hands. The material is heat-resistent up untill 100 degrees Celcius. Visconti claims it is practically unbreakable and is resistant for scratches.

Filling the pen
At first I was a bit confused on how to fill it. But after seeing the DVD it was clear to me how to fill it. Visconti calls it the Powerfiller. Unscrew the rear end of the barrel and pull the piston out. Then put the nib in the ink and push the piston down again and wait for a few seconds. That last step can be repeated for completely filling the pen.

The nib

I choose the stub-nib 1.3. The palladium use for the nib is a great choice I think. It has some flex to it, but certainly not to much.

The cap

Visconti used the same closing on the cap as on the Divina Proportion. It is a bayonet closing with a little feather in the cap I think. It works great.

Writing

Writing with this nib is really a great experience. As you can see in the picture it gives even my handwriting something nice.

Facts

lenght: 145mm (5,7") - with cap over the nib-side (I think you call it capped??)
lenght: 131mm (5,2") - without cap and ready to write
niblength: 24mm (0,94")
barrel: 14mm (0,55")
price: about $ 565,= to $ 595,= (€ 420,= to € 450,=)

Nice use of materials and because of that a great feel
Hygroscopic barrel for sweaty hands
Good size if you like big pens
Really nice palladium nib

Can bee seen as a minor. It is a mens-pen.
Design is a little bit squarish (German, not the flair of a Italian pen)

Moleskine Passions - Welness Journal

2010-04-19T14:37:00.001+02:00

The new Moleskine Passions - Welness Journal

Iroshizuku ajisai (ink review)

2010-04-15T14:30:00.002+02:00

This ink review is about the Iroshizuku ajisai ink. I bought this bottle at PenGallery in Malaysia. My experiences with this shop are good.

I bought some new flash gear, so had to try a lot and made a lot of pictures of this ink ;-)

Color
A nice vivid bluish purple color. It is named after the beautiful flower Hydrangea. But the color is more blue then purple.

Writing
The flow of this ink is great and it writes really smooth. Drying time is lightning fast in a Moleskine (3-5 seconds). On Rhodia paper it takes (7-10 seconds).

Written review

Can't read it? Here's the translation:
"Iroshizuku ajisai

I filled my Pilot Namiki Vanishing Point (medium) with Iroshizuku ajisai.

The color is described as vivid bluish purple. And that is just what it is. It is named after the beautiful flower Hydrangea. It is more blue then purple.

The ink behaves perfect in combination with this medium nib on this Moleskine paper. It does not bleed through or feathers. It has a lightning fast drying time on this paper, so it could be great for lefties.

Ink is not cheap $0,45 - $0,50/ml. But it is really great.

Woodworker"

The Bottle
The bottle contains 50ml of great ink. The bottle has a great design. Can't they get a design award or something? In the bottom is a little hole to put the nib in when filling the pen. So every drop of ink will get into the fountain pen.

Such a lovely bottle comes of course in a great looking box!

Desktopimage
Here's a desktop you may use freely. It is at 1920 x 1200. Click on this link.

100% Moleskine proof
This ink is 100% Moleskine proof. I could not find a Moleskine where the ink showed any bleed through. Another great ink you can 100% trust in every Moleskine without bothering about bleed through.

So let no one tell you a Moleskine is not well suited for fountain pens. With the right ink it is a great companion. Click on this link to see more 100% Moleskine proof inks.

For more Iroshizuku pages look on this page for more links and reviews.

The Iroshizuku ink is a luxurious line of inks created to reflect the beautiful natural scenery of Japan. The gorgeous shades will fill your fountain pen with bold, beautiful and vivid colors. Each bottle is a beautifully crafted glass container designed with an innovative dip at the bottom to ensure the savory enjoyment of every last drop. Every bottle has 50ml and are a great piece of art.

Creative office environment. Folio Professional.

2010-04-12T14:32:00.001+02:00

A video introduces the possibility's a new Moleskine® collection dedicated to the office environment.

Sheaffer Turquoise (ink review)

2010-04-08T14:30:00.001+02:00

In my search for a nice red, a lot of people on the Fountain Pen Network advised Sheaffer Skrip red. This ink was amazingly good. So I bought some more bottles with other colors. This bottle I bought at a small store in Groningen (The Netherlands) called Vulpenwereld (translation Fountain Pen World). It is a store where the owner still knows a lot on his business.

Color
Writing with this color makes you longing for spring to come with sunshine and a beach. It is a swimming pool blue.Great color if you like turquoise. This ink has great shading!

Writing
It is an ink with normal flow in every fountain pen I used it in. It writes very smooth and does not hesitate. Drying time is really great as well in a Moleskine (3-5 seconds) as on Rhodia paper (5-8 seconds). It is the quickest dryingtime on Rhodia paper up till now that I tested.

Written review

Can't read it? Here's the translation:
"Sheaffer Turquoise

I filled my Pilot Namiki Vanishing Point (medium) with Sheaffer Turquoise.

It is a great color! This ink has great shading from light to dark turquoise.

The flow of the ink is normal in this pen. It writes very smooth. Above all it behaves great in every Moleskine I have. No feathering and no bleed through. It dries really quick in a Moleskine.

It is the cheapest ink I own $0,10/ml. But what a great performing ink this is.

Woodworker"

The Bottle
The bottle contains 50ml of great ink. The bottle is deep enough to fill fountain pens with large nibs. I like the design which makes the bottle hard to fall.

Desktopimage
Here's a desktop you may use freely. It is at 1920 x 1200. Click on this link.

100% Moleskine proof
This ink is 100% Moleskine proof. I could not find a Moleskine where the ink showed any bleed through. Another great ink you can 100% trust in every Moleskine without bothering about bleed through.

So let no one tell you a Moleskine is not well suited for fountain pens. With the right ink it is a great companion. Click on this link to see more 100% Moleskine proof inks.

Specially formulated, Sheaffer® Skrip® Ink will ensure a long write life and a smooth flow of ink to paper. There are a variety of colors available in 50ml bottles .

New Montblanc 2010 Limited Edition Queen Elizabeth I Fountain Pen

2010-04-06T14:30:00.001+02:00

Queen Elizabeth I was one of few historical figures whose impact on history was so powerful that an entire era has been named after them – and she did it with a passion and charisma that still enthralls us today.

Elizabeth I ascended to the throne of England and Ireland in 1559, and over the next 44 years made her kingdom not just into a world power that ruled the seven seas, but also into Europe’s leading cultural nation of early modern times.

Today this golden age of British history is still known as the Elizabethan Era – a time when the English renaissance flourished, producing masters such as William Shakespeare and John Dowland and opening up Britain’s path into the present day. Her life has been filmed many times, the most recent version starring Cate Blanchett – clear proof that Queen Elizabeth I is still able to influence our lives today.

Montblanc pays tribute to this fascinating woman, queen and lover of culture with a stunning writing instrument – the Limited Edition Queen Elizabeth I. The pattern on the cap and cone is inspired by ornaments of the cover of the book "The Miroir or Glasse of the Synneful Soul".
• The lacquer reminds to an ermine, a symbol of royalty and Elizabeth I.
• The rose as the symbol of the Tudor dynasty as well as the cross with its green cabochon, are elements referring to Elizabeth I.
• Her motto is engraved on the cap ring "Video et Taceo".
• Handcrafted 18k gold nib with the royal crown.

Pelikan Blue Black

2010-04-01T14:30:00.001+02:00

I bought this vintage ink at a local flea-market. I saw three of these bottles with the right box. I paid $ 10,= for these beauty's. One box was a little bit damaged.

Color
It is a nice Blue Black. It is more blueish then Montblanc Blue Black. The color comes close to Iroshizuku tsuk-yo but without the green hue.

Writing
It is a somewhat dry ink, but the flow is good enough and I don't know if it is the vintage age of the ink that makes it this way. First thing that I noticed was the very quick drying time of the ink. It is outstanding, even on Rhodia paper it takes only 10 seconds to dry. I could not find a Moleskine where this ink bled through the pages.

Written review

Can't read it? Here's the translation:
"Pelikan Blue Black

I filled my Pilot Namiki Vanishing Point (medium) with Pelikan Blue-Black.

I found three vintage bottles at a local flea market. I think the bottles are from around 1980.

The color is lighter the the Montblanc Blue Black. But it is a nice blue black. It has some shading.

This ink behaves very well in Moleskines, no feathering or bleed through. It is 100% Moleskine proof. It dries very quickly. I love it very very much.

New bottles cost about $ 0,13/ml

Woodworker"

The Bottle
The bottle contains 70ml of ink. The shape of the bottle is still working great even for large shaped fountain pens.

Desktopimage
Here's a desktop you may use freely. It is at 1920 x 1200. Click on this link.

100% Moleskine proof
This ink is 100% Moleskine proof. I could not find a Moleskine where the ink showed any bleed through. Another great ink you can 100% trust in every Moleskine without bothering about bleed through.

So let no one tell you a Moleskine is not well suited for fountain pens. With the right ink it is a great companion. Click on this link to see more 100% Moleskine proof inks.

Fountain pen ink by Pelikan. Ideally formulated for Pelikan pens and other plunger mechanism and converter pens. Pelikan has been making inks since 1863.

Sailor Kiwagura Nano Carbon Super Black

2010-03-26T13:30:00.001+01:00

Is it for everyone the same? I have a passion for fountain pens and have way to much ink. I have some great black inks in my stock: Noodler's Black, Visconti Black, Montblanc Black. How can it be that I always have to try an ink that I don't have...... I bought this Sailor Kiwagura Nano Super Black ink at Jetpens in the USA. The have a lot of Japanese stationery and deliver quickly.

Color
OK, the color is black. What more can I say. In my opinion Noodler's Black is blacker. I think Noodler's is a little bit more shinier and Sailor is more mat.

Writing
A big advantage over Noodler's Black is the dryingtime of this Sailor Kiwagura Nano Carbon Black ink. In a Moleskine the ink dries in about 7 seconds. On Rhodia paper it takes about 15 seconds. The flow of the ink is normal just good enough, not dry or to wet. I saw this text on eBay: "Let me tell you about this Nano technology. A normal ink is water like fluid which easily flows through the pens nib. But the normal ink can get erased if water is spilled over it or due to time and temperature, the ink starts fading. The latest Nano technology which sailor has adopted in its ink is that it never gets erased irrespective of temperature, time or water. It is a complete waterproof ink. The flow of this ink is very smooth and in a pyramidal way."

Written review

Can't read it? Here's the translation:
"Sailor Kiwagura Nano Carbon Super Black

What a longe name for a fountain pen ink. I filled my Lamy Al-star (medium) with Sailor Kiwagura.

I must say I am just as suprised as I was trying Noodler's Black. This ink behaves very very well in this Moleskine. No bleed through or feathering in any of my Moleskines. The lines are very sharp and crisp.

I don't know if it is blacker then Noodler's black. But it sure behaves just as good. With a q-tip it sure is black.

$ 0,45/ml is not cheap, but it is black!

This line written with a Lamy nib 1.1, no bleed through either.

Woodworker"

The Bottle
The bottle contains 50ml of great ink. It is nicely shaped. But it is not very deep. It is hard for a Pelikan M1000 to suck up enough in.

Desktopimage
Here's a desktop you may use freely. It is at 1920 x 1200. Click on this link.

100% Moleskine proof
This ink is 100% Moleskine proof. I could not find a Moleskine where the ink showed any bleed through. Another great ink you can 100% trust in every Moleskine without bothering about bleed through.

So again a great ink to write with in any Moleskine.

Sailor fountain pen ink is made in Japan from their exclusive formulas. Both bottled and cartridge inks are an alkaline base. Any of the sailor inks can be mixed with one another to create your *perfect* color. Sailor ink should not be mixed with other brands of ink. Sailor's inks are smooth-flowing for use in all your treasured fountain pens. The beautifully designed bottle contains 50ml of ink. Nine rich colors to choose from.

My new Leuchtturm1917 diary

2010-03-23T18:30:00.006+01:00

In about 8 months I used two Pocket Moleskines (plain paper) as a diary. I do not write on a regular daily basis, but always 3-5 times a week. When we have holidays I write a story every day. Everything I do daily and comes to mind when I write I put in it. Sometimes I make little sketches in it, and often I glue some pictures with the story.

I love the Moleskine, no matter how much you put in it, they still hold up and don't fall apart. Look how they grew in the past months. Moleskine has a great advantage over other notebooks, they always lay flat on the table.

Here's two examples of what I put in my diary:

I don't know how it is with you, but I for sure always want to try something new. So after two Moleskines I wanted to try another brand. I choose the Leuctturm1917 and bought it at Journaling Arts. She wrote a great review on her blog. I would not do it better then her so here's the link and have a great time reading it.

Just started using it (march 16th 2010). I will let you know how it holds up in time.

Here's a page of thursday, march 18th 2010. You can see it needs a little bit of Moleskine to lay flat ;-)

I let you know in about three months how this new diary is compared to the Moleskines.

Rohrer & Klingner Pernambuco

2010-03-13T17:24:00.015+01:00

I bought some bottles of Rohrer & Klinger at The Writing Desk from the United Kingdom. Great shop that I can recommend to you.

Color
The color is named after the Brazillian Wood called blood-wood. This plant has a dense, orange-red heartwood that takes a high shine, and it is the premier wood used for making bows for string instruments. The wood also yields a red dye called brazilin, which oxidizes to brazilein.

Writing
The ink flows great. Writing with it is a real joy. It flows great in every pen. I currently use it in my Montblanc 146 (fine) for accenting and highlighting my every day writing.

Written review

Can't read it? Here's the translation:
"Rohrer & Klingner Pernambuco

I filled my Lamy Safari (medium) with Rohrer & Klingner Pernambuco.

The color is named after a Brazilian Wood. It is a nice color. Like a mixture of light red, pink and a tiny bit of orange. It is not as vivid as Sailor Irore Red or Iroshizuku momiji but it is a nice red.

The ink behaves very good in this Moleskine. No bleed through or feathering. Very quick drying time. Also this ink has great shading.

The ink costs about $ 0,12/ml.

Woodworker"

The Bottle
The bottle contains 50ml of great ink. The bottle is deep enough to fill fountain pens with large nibs.

Moleskinefriendly
This ink is Moleskine friendly. I had one Moleskine that showed a little bit of bleed through with a medium nibbed fountain pen. So I think you should place this ink between 100% moleskine proof and Moleskinefriendly.

With this range that contains 18 tones of writing inks for fountain pens and quills, Rohrer & Klingner continues an old tradition of ink production. Apart from classical tones (including two iron gall inks), several new colours are available, that have been developed for the primary purpose of calligraphy. On a traditional basis, the inks are produced with inter alia modern raw materials.

FOR MORE ROHRER & KLINGER INKS LOOK ON THE INDEX PAGE

Private Reserve Tangerine Dream

2010-03-12T15:00:00.000+01:00

I bought this bottle of Private Reserve Tangerine Dream at the PenGallery website. It is a real joy doing business with these people. I can highly recommend them. PenGallery specializes in sale of branded quality writing instruments, related products and lighters at competitively lower prices compared to that of the manufacturer's list price.

Color
The color is named after the fruit Tangerine. The tangerine (Citrus × tangerina) is an orange-coloured citrus fruit. It is a variety of the Mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata). The color is between bright orange and dark yellow. The ink is good visible on the paper. When it is more yellow it often becomes harder to read.

Writing
The ink writes smooth and the flow in combination with this pen is good. When an ink does not bleed through a Moleskine with a stub-nib it is a good ink to write with. Drying time in a Moleskine is about 9 seconds with this nib. On Rhodia paper it takes about twice the time. I could not detect feathering in a Moleskine.

Written review

Can't read it? Here's the translation:
"Private Reserve Tangerine Dream

I filled my Pilot Namiki Vanishing Point (stub) with some Private Reserve Tangerine Dream.

It is a great combo with this nib. The ink flows great. In this Moleskine with this stub-nib their's no bleed through or feathering. Drying time is good.

The color is great for all kind of writing. I would not use it for every day writing. But it is great for highlighting and accentuating.

The ink costs about $ 0,17/ml.

The name matches this color great.

Woodworker"

The Bottle
The bottle contains 50ml of great ink. The bottle is deep enough to fill even a Montblanc 149 or Pelikan M1000 with huge nibs.

Desktopimage for you
If you like to have a real nice desktop image of this ink I have this one for you free to use. Click here

Moleskinefriendly
This ink is Moleskine friendly. With this stub-nib Pilot Namiki I had two (out of five) Moleskines with some real tiny dots coming through on the other side of the paper. Because the ink is light colored the tiny bit of bleed through is not much of a deal.

Private Reserve Fountain Pen Inks are among the best inks available today; purchase from one of our many dealers. We think you'll be happy you did. Now in 37 colors, neutral ph., excellent coverage, smooth flow, vibrant colors, non-clogging, fast drying, classic deco bottle design, made in USA

Rohrer & Klingner Scabiosa

2010-03-09T15:00:00.002+01:00

I bought this bottle at The Writing Desk in the United Kingdom. It is an iron-gall-nut ink. I wrote this review with my Marlen Aderl (medium).

Color
This color tends a bit to Rohrer & Klingner Old Bordeaux. But the color is darker and more purple. The color has fantastic shading in combination with this pen. Standing out of the crowd you can use this color for everyday use I think. Just be bold! ;-)

The color is named after the beautiful flower Scabiosa 'Ace of Spades'

Writing
Like most other Rohrer & Klingner inks this one also behaves great in a Moleskine. In fact it writes beautiful. The flow is great in combination with this pen. No bleed through in this Moleskine nor did I see any feathering. Even with the Marlen medium nib the ink works great in every Moleskine. Drying time is a bit longer and takes about 13-15 seconds in this medium nib pen.
On Rhodia paper it takes twice the time, so your safe after 30 seconds.

Written review

Can't read it? Here's the translation:
"Rohrer & Klingner Scabiosa

I just filled my Marlen Aderl (medium) with Roher & Klinger Scabiosa.

What a nice purple color with great shading. It is an iron-gall ink. It behaves very good in a Moleskine. I did not see any bleed through in one of my Moleskines.

The shading of the color goes from very dark purple (almost black) to normal purple. I really love this color.

Rohrer & Klingner ink costs about $ 0,12/ml.

Woodworker"

The Bottle
The bottle contains 50ml of great ink. It's a standard model of bottle, nothing fancy. But is does the trick great even with larger nibbed fountain pens.

Desktopimage
Here's a desktop you may use freely. It is at 1920 x 1200. Click on this link.

100% Moleskine proof
This ink is 100% Moleskine proof. I could not find a Moleskine where the ink showed any bleed through. Just a tiny bit of feathering in some Moleskines. But just really a little bit. So is it about paper in the Moleskine. Yes off course it varies to much in different Moleskines. But there are inks just like this one which do the trick very well. A paper-product that never bleeds through like the Rhodia paper has also it's disadvantages (for example the long dryingtimes).

So again a great ink to write with in any Moleskine.

With this range that contains 18 tones of writing inks for fountain pens and quills, Rohrer & Klingner continues an old tradition of ink production. Apart from classical tones (including two iron gall inks), several new colours are available, that have been developed for the primary purpose of calligraphy. On a traditional basis, the inks are produced with inter alia modern raw materials.

FOR MORE ROHRER & KLINGER INKS LOOK ON THE INDEX PAGE

Stipula Musk Green (Verde Mushiato)

2010-03-04T15:00:00.003+01:00

I bought a few bottles of Stipula Calamo Ink at the PenGallery. Pen Gallery is a really great shop which delivers fast from Kuala Lumpur to everywhere in the world. I never heard of this ink. So I read about it on The Fountain Netwerk. I became curious and ordered some bottles. For this review I used my Pilot Namiki Vanishing Point with an italic nib from Richard Binder.

Color
This color tends a bit to Rohrer & Klingner Old Golden Green. But the color is darker and more green. The color has magnificent shading in combination with this wonderful italic nib. I really enjoy this ink. I thought this color was more green like the sample on the outside box, but is has more yellow in it.

Writing
Writing was great with this ink. I really enjoyed writing this review for you. The flow in this italic nib was great. I did not have a problem with it. It's a real quick dryer in the Moleskine. On Rhodia paper it takes more then 15 seconds to dry.

Written review

Can't read it? Here's the translation:
"Stipula Verde Mushiato

I put some Stipula Verde Mushiato in my Pilot Namiki Vanishing Point (italic)

What a great, nice, but strange green color. It hase a very nice shading from dark yellow to dark green.

This ink behaves great in this Moleskine. No bleed through. But a little bit of feathering can be found.

I think Stipula made a great green ink This ink costs $ 0,27/ml

Woodworker"

The Bottle
The bottle contains 70ml ink. It's a very nice shaped model of bottle. The bottle has a nice wide opening and is deep enough for our larger nibs. This ink bottle has been developed for Netto, Stipula’s revolutionary system for a clean filling to the last drop. I did not buy that system it is very expensive in my opinion.

Desktopimage
Here's a desktop you may use freely. It is at 1920 x 1200. Click on this link.

100% Moleskine proof
This ink is 100% Moleskine proof. I could not find a Moleskine where the ink showed any bleed through. Just a tiny bit of feathering in some Moleskines.

So again a great ink to write with in any Moleskine.

Calamo fountain pen ink (2.4 oz) is available in various colour formulations: Blu della Robbia (deep blue), Terra di Siena (sepia), Rosso Fiorentino (red finish), Verde Muschiato (green musk), Zafferano (sapphron golden yellow), and Borgogna (deep red). The glass of Calamo bottles is treated to protect the ink from the deterioration caused by exposure to the light. This ink bottle has been developed for Netto, Stipula’s revolutionary system for a clean filling to the last drop.

Rohrer & Klingner Old Bordeaux

2010-03-02T15:00:00.002+01:00

I bought some bottles of Rohrer & Klinger at The Writing Desk from the United Kingdom. The shop has a nice Col-o-rama. Rohrer & Klingner is a German company that makes all kinds of ink since 1892. I filled my purple Lamy Safari (fine) with this fine color.
Here's my oldest daughter Deniece. She wanted to show of here dress for prom night. For me it was just the ink that was important for the picture........ ;-)

Color
This color reminds me on antique bordeaux curtains...... Hmmmmm I don't know why, but I like this color. It is a color I use a lot when I'm journaling. It is some kind of faded bordeaux.

Writing
The more Rohrer & Klinger I review the more I am surprised by the quality of the ink. The flow of the ink in this Lamy Al-start pen with fine nib is excellent. Drying time in a Moleskine is about 7 seconds with this nib. On Rhodia paper it takes twice the time. I could not detect feathering in a Moleskine.

Written review

Can't read it? Here's the translation:
"Rohrer & Klingner Old-Bordeaux

I just filled my Lamy Safari Al-Star (fine) with Rohrer & Klinger Old Bordeaux.

What a nice antique color to write with. A deep, deep-purple.

On Moleskine paper this ink in this pen behaves very well. Drying takes about 7 seconds. On Rhodia it takes a little bit more then 15 seconds to dry.

Rohrer & Klingner ink costs about $ 0,12/ml.

On this Moleskine paper no feathering or bleed through. It is just a great ink. I have to try it in a medium nib!

Woodworker"

The Bottle
The bottle contains 50ml of great ink. It's a standard model of bottle, nothing fancy. But is does the trick great even with larger nibbed fountain pens.

Moleskinefriendly
This ink is Moleskine friendly. As I said in my written review I needed this ink in a wider nib. I tried it in my Lamy Safari italic 1.1 nib. That was a little to much for one Moleskine. One out of five Moleskines showed a little bit of bleed through.

With this range that contains 18 tones of writing inks for fountain pens and quills, Rohrer & Klingner continues an old tradition of ink production. Apart from classical tones (including two iron gall inks), several new colours are available, that have been developed for the primary purpose of calligraphy. On a traditional basis, the inks are produced with inter alia modern raw materials.

FOR MORE ROHRER & KLINGER INKS LOOK ON THE INDEX PAGE

Montblanc White Forest (ink review)

2010-02-25T12:45:00.004+01:00

I bought this bottle from The Goulet Pen Company. I like this shop very much. The service is great and the owner is very committed to keep you satisfied. I am looking for an ink that has a dark color but is not black. I ordered this one because the swaps looked promising.

Color
The color is green/brown and very dark. It has a lot of shading. In my opinion it is more dark green then dark brown.

Writing
The flow of the ink is great great great (I really mean it :-D). A free flowing ink. In a Moleskine theirs a little bit of feathering. Also it shows some bleed through in more then one Moleskine. Drying time is about 3 - 5 seconds with a medium nib. On the other hand on Rhodia paper it takes more then 15 seconds. On Rhodia paper no feathering or bleedthrough.

Scent
It does smell after pinewood. But the smell is not strong. I only smelled it good out of the bottle. After writing with it on paper the smell is mostly gone.

Written review

Can't read it? Here's the translation:
"Montblanc White Forest

I filled a Pilot Namiki Vanishing Point (medium) with the limited edition 2009 of Montblanc with the beautiful name "White Forest".

It is a nice free flowing ink in this pen. In this Moleskine no feathering, but you can see some bleed through on the other side of the page.

The color is really great! A beautiful dark green. It has some shading which I like very much. It smells after a pine tree, but the smell is quickly away.

This ink is not cheap $ 0,55/ml.

A quick dryer! (on Moleskine paper)

Woodworker"

The Bottle
The bottle contains 30ml. It's a shallow bottle I wonder if the Montblanc 149 fits in to get this ink. The design is great it shines great in the light.

None - Moleskinefriendly
To bad this ink is not Moleskine friendly. The color is great the flow is great. With a medium nib their were more then 4 out of 5 different Moleskines that showed bleed through.

Montblanc is a truly international brand with operations in more than 70 countries. Montblanc sells its products exclusively through its international network of authorized retailers, jewellers and over 360 Montblanc Boutiques worldwide.

How a fountain pen is made

2010-02-24T18:00:00.006+01:00

I came across this great movie about making a fountain pen. The movie belongs to the great pen company Aurora.

Moleskine Passions - Film Journal

2010-02-22T15:39:00.005+01:00

I bought my own Moleskine Passions at moleskine.dk. I bought the Film Journal, Book Journal and Music Journal. I will do some reviewing in the near future. For now I only have some picture and a movie.

The New Moleskine Passions. Journals for the Loves of Your Life
Moleskine introduces a new set of themed Journals, for Recipes, Films, Books, Wine, Music, Wellness, designed for people who love to organize information about their own cultural passions, and who want to do it neatly and with elegance.

This is a promo movie on youtube for the Film Journal

Sheaffer Red (ink review)

2010-02-18T15:00:00.001+01:00

This really surprising bottle of ink I bought in Groningen (in the Northern part of the Netherlands close by where we live) in a store called "De Vulpenwereld" (translation: "Fountain Pen World"). It is a really nice small fountain pen store with excellent staff. The ink sometimes called by it's second name Skrip.

Color
I read a lot about this ink on The Fountain Pen Network. Some said it was the perfect red color. I do a lot of accentuating and highlighting with a red color. I'm not a teacher, but I think this Sheaffer Red color is excellent for grading students. It has some nice darker red shading in it.

Writing
The ink flows great in this Pilot Namiki Vanishing Point. You can make a fast autograph without the ink skipping. It never hesitates in starting. Drying time with this nib is about 5 - 7 seconds. On Rhodia paper it takes twice the time.

Written review

Can't read it? Here's the translation:
"Sheaffer Red

This red is often called "the perfect" red. So I filled my nice red Pilot Namiki Vanishing Point (medium) with Sheaffer Red.

The Sheaffer Red behaves great in this Moleskine in combination with this medium nib. No bleed through at all. No visible feathering. The ink has a litlle bit of nice shading.

The flow is great. Drying time is very acceptable.

The ink only costs $ 0,10/ml.

The price and quality of this is remarkable.

Woodworker"

The Bottle
The bottle contains 50ml of great ink. The bottle is deep enough to fill fountain pens with large nibs. I like the design which makes the bottle hard to fall.

Desktopimage for you
If you like to have a real nice desktop image of this ink I have this one for you free to use. Click here

100% Moleskine-proof
Well there it is another great ink that is 100% Moleskine-proof. I could not find a Moleskine in my collection where it had bleed through or feathering in any pen. It's price is amazing and is cheaper then Noodler's ink.

Specially formulated, Sheaffer® Skrip® Ink will ensure a long write life and a smooth flow of ink to paper. There are a variety of colors available in 50ml bottles .