The Journey to the Dallas Pen Show 2017

I have not posted in some time and I do apologize for that. My wife and I spent a week traveling to the Dallas Pen show from Iowa and turned it into a road trip of sorts. I packed the wrong power adapter for my laptop and well, I couldn't post. 

Days 1 and 2

Chicago is not a terribly far distance to go from central Iowa. We like visiting Chicago but had never explored downtown, until now. We stayed in a hotel adjacent to Michigan Ave and had a wonderful time. I had never realized how amazing the architecture is here. 

Stunning views. During our time here, we took a bus tour of the area and made stops at Soldier Field and Navy Pier. 

While on Navy Pier, we had to ride the big Ferris wheel and also took a boat ride on Lake Michigan where I got to see this lighthouse and I just love lighthouses.

A great start to the pen show journey.

Day 3

Mainly a travel day from Chicago, IL to Memphis, TN. Wow, Illinois is one damn long state but we reached our destination in 8 hours and we were both in no mood to go anywhere. 

Day 4 

Memphis is most notable for Elvis and Graceland. I am not a fan of Elvis but my wife is so we went to this attraction and spent a few hours. I am so glad that the style trends in fashion and home decor are no longer popular. 

After Graceland, we got back in the car and traveled to our next stop which was Branson, MO. We both were curious as to what was here so we needed to see for ourselves as to what all of the hype is about.

Day 5

Branson is quite the tourist trap type of place, much like the Wisconsin Dells and the Ozarks. The views are quite breathtaking beyond all of the ad signs for country music shows, tattoo shops, old timey photos and Vape shops. We took a ride on a DUKW (pronounced Duck) which is a WWII era vehicle that drives on land but is also amphibious. We had a nice tour and saw some amazing sites. 

After the tour we did some shopping for the kids and took a ride on a train, which happened to be the most disappointing part of the trip.

Day 6

Travel to the Dallas Pen show. We left Branson and headed down to Dallas, TX which was around 6 hours long. Once we got checked in, I was down to the show to see the goodies which will be in my next post.

Day 7 saw more pen show activity but we took a break to explore the plaza where President John F Kennedy was assassinated at in 1963. The museum and tour was very well put together and photos were not allowed. So after the tour, we went outside for a couple of pics.

It was humbling to be in the same building where the shots occurred but definitely worth the trip to visit history.

Day 8 was the trip back home which is roughly 11 hours in the car. It was a great getaway trip and we saw some wonderful sights as well as met some great people. I may need to do this again but with different stops along the way.

Midori MD Notebooks

I love a nice notebook and I really do love Midori based products as I do have a Midori Travelers Notebook before it became just the Travelers Notebook. As a fountain pen user, it can be interesting as well as challenging to find a notebook that meets different nib widths and inks without issue. This Japanese offering excels at all of it.

This notebook is only A5 based sizing. It comes in either blank, lined or graph based styles and since I prefer the grid/graph style, that is what I purchased.

This is a great minimalist notebook as branding and coloring goes. There is an embossed MD Notebooks on the right center side of the cover but I could not get it to photograph. Otherwise, it is a plain notebook on the outside but the real fun is the paper on the inside.

This has 192 pages of off-white colored paper that feels nice to the touch but not silky smooth like Rhodia does since this paper does not have a ceramic based coating. This paper is lovely to use and write on. It handled all my nib widths up to 1.5mm and I even took a brush to it with some ink. It took a bit to dry, which is expected with fountain pen friendly paper but astonishingly, there was no bleed through.

Sheen and shading are present on this high-quality paper, much like the Japanese voodoo paper known as Tomoe River but this is more substantial in the hand. When writing, it has some feedback to the paper on the nib but it really isn’t to the point where it is a deterrent. I generally am not a fan of feedback but I have noticed that this is the only notebook I have been using this month. I am choosing to use this book over my Clairefontaine and Leuchtturm books. That is saying something.

The binding on the book is interesting. I read that it was glued in place but when I open mine, I do see stitching so I am inclined to say this is sewn together. What is different, however, is this linen-like mesh that is on the exterior of the binding. Usually this is hidden but it is out in the open on these books. I believe it is there for added strength and support. The book has no issue with lying flat on my table and the binding has had no issues.

There are also these dots that appear every 10 lines in the margins here. I am assuming these are for easy measuring for bullet journaling and that sort of application which is different but not distracting. 

It is a great notebook. I purchased this from Amazon for approx $9.50 and I have seen it elsewhere for approx $13 which is still a nice value for the price. Try one out. 

This review is based off of my experience and opinion. I do not represent Midori nor am I being compensated in any way.

Sailor 1911 Large - My First Sailor Pen

Sailor pens are well known in the pen community and I have heard many great things about these pens. An opportunity came about where I was able to get a used Sailor 1911 Large and couldn't argue about the asking price. Well, here we are and let's take a look.

This Sailor is a glossy black with rhodium trim. The 1911 model is in the traditional cigar based shape which I see a lot of in Japanese pens. This is a fairly light pen as it is made out of resin. The nib on the 1911 is a 14k gold nib on the standard size and the large size features a 21k gold nib.

Sailor is known for having a wide array of different nib types. This particular pen has a H-B nib which is a hard broad. Being a Japanese pen, nib widths typically are a size below their western counterparts. What I found interesting here is the Sailor H-B is smaller in width than a Pilot B and a Platinum B nib. All three of these are Japanese broad nibs and the Sailor is the narrowest of the three.

The writing is super smooth, which is exactly what I had heard with Sailor pens and it is a pleasure to write with. The nib is very hard and does not offer any line variation which is just fine. I have a feeling that this is the reason for the narrow B line as the Pilot and Platinum are both springy when writing.

The type of paper used is also a factor in the Sailor line width. The top picture is Tomoe River paper and the bottom is the Midori MD notebook. The Midori MD paper really causes the line width of this pen to be rather more of a fine nib. It is quite fascinating.

For comparison, the Sailor 1911 L is the same size as the Platinum 3776 for the most part. The end of the Sailor has more of an extended taper than the 3776 but ultimately the pen.

All in all, I like the Sailor 1911 L pen but I would not pay retail for it. The large edition is approx $268 here in the U.S. and I was able to get this used for $145. It had been inked once and the owner didn't care for the B nib. It is a great pen for the price I paid but I would have been disappointed had I paid full price. I don't see the benefits of the higher price tag.

This review is based off of my experience and opinion. I do not represent Sailor nor am I being compensated in any way.

Papier Plume Red Beans and Rice Ink

Red Beans and Rice is a very notable Creole dish from New Orleans and is most commonly associated with being eaten on Mondays, as that was washday and women would put the beans in a pot to simmer all day as chores were being done. Papier Plume is a New Orleans based business and ink maker and they have a line of ink that takes inspiration from New Orleans in many different facets. Red Beans and Rice is the latest ink color offering so let’s have a look, shall we?

The bottle is well presented. I love the wax dip on the cap and the Fleur-de-lis stamped within on the top. This is an interesting ink and what I really found fascinating is how different paper makes the color slightly different.

So what color is it? It is a pinkish red with some soft brown undertones. The best way I have found to look at it is this. If I take a red kidney bean and try to write with it, this is the color I envision it making on the page. It definitely comes across more pink than solid red but it is growing on me.

Clairefontaine paper is smooth and I do love it but this ink color really looks washed out on it. The saturation is sucked out of the color on this paper. 

Tomoe River paper really brings out the saturation and crispness the ink has as well as the shading. Red does appear here but in person, it is more pink.

Leuchtturm paper is a middle of the road phenomenon between Tomoe River and Clairefontaine

Mnemosyne seems to bring out more of the red in the color, which is very strange. 

Overall, the Tomoe River paper is my favorite paper for this ink color. I am not much of a pink colored ink lover but this is a muted pink and it is growing on me. The only ink I have in my overflowing collection of ink that is anywhere close to Red Beans and Rice here is KWZ Brown Pink.

Brown Pink is much more pronounced and has more brown inside but I really enjoy both colors. 

This is based solely off of my opinions and experience. I do not represent Papier Plume nor am I being compensated in any way.

InkJournal Ink Flight #6

I must admit, I really love the InkJournal Ink Flight boxes every month. I love the mystery and surprise that each box contains. Last month I finally was able to try P.W. Akkerman inks and this month, Papier Plume which I have been wanting to try as well. What all did July have in store?

Papier Plume is a well-known retailer in New Orleans, Louisiana and has a reputation for the inks that they make and bottle. Their bottles are distinct and are usually wax dipped around the cap, much like Maker’s Mark whiskey bottles. I love that personal touch to the ink bottles and I was eager to try the ink. Here are the inks included this month:

• ·         Mardi Gras Indian Purple
• ·         Forget Me Not Blue
• ·         Forest Green
• ·         Peacock
• ·         Caramel
• ·         Sazerac
• ·         Red Beans and Rice

These inks are very saturated and have some wet properties. I like how they are all influenced with New Orleans and Louisiana culture. Whether it be influenced by Mardi Gras, flower retailer, alcoholic drinks or cuisine, the ink has plenty of inspiration. The Red Beans and Rice ink color is brand new and was just unveiled at the Miami Pen Show. It is a red-brown ink that lends itself more pinkish much like KWZ Brown Pink.

Also in this month’s box was a small Rhodia pad with a Rhodia travel case.

The pad is pocket sized and has lined ivory paper rated at 41lb (90 GSM). The leather case is a nice touch and has a built-in pen loop for smaller sized pens. The pad is nice for notes on the go and I will make use of it at work.

It was a smaller box this month but I am pleased with it, per normal. I still believe it is a nice value at $25 and the hours I get from playing with the new inks is so much fun. Yup, I am a pen and ink geek.

This review is based off my opinions and experience. I do not represent InkJournal in any way nor am I being compensated. 

Gypsy Road Pen - A Handcrafted Treasure

I cannot recall how I came across Gypsy Road and the lovely lady behind the scenes but I am very glad I did. Janelle Tyler is the Artisan behind Gypsy Road and is most notably known for her work with glass, in this case, pens. The package arrived with a pen, some care info and a small bottle of black India Ink.

I reached out to Janelle through Instagram and then email as I had looked at her site (Gypsy Road.Ca)and still had questions about all of the custom options I could choose from with a glass dip pen. We decided Skype may be in order and I got to spend some time talking to this talented Artisan. Janelle is based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada but is currently preparing to move across the continent. Janelle was very inviting, personable and very passionate about what she is able to create.

Her glass dip pens have a multitude of customization options or you can purchase pre-made pens off of her Etsy shop. She also has different nib width options from Ultra Fine, Fine, Medium Fine, Medium Bold, Bold and Variable. I chose the medium width nib based off of our discussion and it is very close to what a German Medium would be in a fountain pen.

The Variable nib is very interesting and quite special. I am sworn to secrecy as to how the variable is achieved but what I can say is that it is intended for artist based use. The nib is rather like the Sailor Zoom nib as that depending on how you choose to hold it. Fine, Bold and Medium are all possible in one nib. Incredible.

Ok, so I ordered a pen that had 3 colors and I wished to theme it off of the colors in the German flag. Janelle knocked it out of the park here with red as the main core with black swirls and the yellow is actual bronze. It is stunning.

Due to our Skype call, Janelle saw the size of my hands and tailored the pen to be a bit larger to accommodate. She also mentioned she also got to see my personality which also helped her make the pen more suited to me. I could not be happier.

This pen has a triangular grip, much like a Lamy Safari or Al-Star but this one is much more established and is cozy in my grip. The nib writes super smooth and the need to re-dip into ink is not needed as often as you might think. The reservoirs here hold a ton of ink and distribute it very uniformly.

I have also found out that there was a video done that showcases Janelle Tyler and how she makes these wonderful pens. Please visit that YouTube video.

Bob also was very interested in this.

This review is based off of my opinions and experiences. I do not represent Gypsy Road nor am I being compensated in any way.