ARTICLE: Budgeting for Fountain Pens

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With January comes resolutions. Lose weight, travel more, and spend less are some of the most popular resolutions out there.

All of this has me thinking about how I find money for my fountain pen habit hobby.

TOP TEN WAYS TO AFFORD A FOUNTAIN PEN HOBBY

Budget. I’ve budgeted a small amount of money to spend on whatever I want each month. I usually choose to spend it on my pen hobby. Sometimes, I’ll buy a few ink samples and save the rest for a larger purchase. Fountain Pen Physicist talks about this in a video.

Save your pennies – literally. Loose change can accumulate quickly. Even if it accumulates slowly, it still accumulates – usually without any discomfort.

Prioritize. I have to prioritize. There are certain things that I know I’m going to want each year. If two pens are released at the same time and one of them is the new Lamy Safari, that’s the one I’m getting.

Focus on affordability. There are so many affordable options available for fountain pen lovers. Good options. I used to believe that a pen had to be expensive to be high-quality. I was wrong. It’s possible (easy!) to put together an amazing collection of affordable pens, ink, and paper.

Watch for sales. Discounts on pens aren’t nearly as frequent or as deep as discounts at Old Navy, but they are out there. Keep an eye on your favorite retailers, read blogs. Don’t forget to compare prices at Amazon; I’ve found some great deals there.

Give up something else. Take the bus, make your own coffee, stop buying so many clothes. Seriously, how much washi tape does one girl need?

eBay. Research reputable sellers, dive in, get a deal.

Sell something you don’t love. I recently sold a 2015 Hobonichi Planner that I knew I wouldn’t use. While I didn’t recoup all that I’d spent on it, I ended up with enough to get a couple of small things that I will use.

Focus on smaller parts of the hobby. Practice handwriting. Sample inks. Try new paper. These parts of the hobby are less expensive than buying a fancy new pen and can be just as rewarding – especially in the long-term.

Make friends. Choose one of the online communities dedicated to Fountain Pens, become a regular, and make friends. Friends (and yet-to-be friends) often trade ink and paper samples.

How do you afford your hobby habit? Do you budget? Play it fast and loose?

INK SWAB: 13/365 – Rohrer & Klingner Alt-Bordeaux

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* PURPLE ROHRER & KLINGNER ALT BORDEAUX

 

Rohrer & Klingner is a brand that doesn’t get a whole lot of attention.

I’ve not written with Alt-Bordeaux, but I have enjoyed other R&K inks and this is an interesting purple that leans toward red – aptly named.

While today isn’t Friday, I need to mention how much I enjoy Fashionable Friday from The Well-Appointed Desk. Pretty pretty.

PEN REVIEW: Delta Unica (Limited Edition)

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Delta Unica

Blue with Gold Trim

Limited Edition

Before we get started – I’ll be back this afternoon to announce the winner of the Stateside Notebook giveaway!

The Delta Unica is a gorgeous pen. Deep blue swirls that vary from almost white to almost black, but mostly velvety blue. In a word: chatoyance.

Let’s have a look under the hood . . .

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The trim (or furniture, if you prefer) is gold-plated. The cap screws on and can be posted (placed on the back of the pen) easily.

The clip has one of those rolly things that (in theory) makes it easy to clip to a pocket. I’m generally not a fan of this feature, but that is definitely a matter of personal taste.

The nib has a matte finish (it’s brushed gold-plated steel). It’s an interesting look that may not be for everyone. The nib features a wonderfully scrolly design that I quite like.

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The section of the Unica is sized well and comfortable.

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The pen takes international short cartridges or fills with the included converter. Fittings are deep (a good thing) and appear to be brass (another good thing).

How does it write?

A photo posted by Christine Darling (@pentulant) on

I inked it with J. Herbin’s Ocean Bleu and found them to be a perfect pairing. The pen wrote perfectly out of the box. No skipping, no hard starts. Flow was perfect.

The nib offers some feedback. Some writers prefer and are accustomed to a perfectly buttery smooth writing experience and anything other than that may feel scratchy at first glance. This nib doesn’t catch on the paper nor is it difficult to write – rather, I can feel the paper beneath the pen. I like this, but it may be a deal breaker for some.

This version of the Unica is limited to 100 pens and is available exclusively at Goulet Pens. I wasn’t compensated in any way for this review and spent my own hard-earned $76 on it. The pen is available from other places and in other colors. 

INK SWAB: 11/365 – J Herbin Rouge Hematite 1670

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* RED J HERBIN ROUGE HEMATITE

 

A quick look at the super-duper popular Rouge Hematite from J Herbin. This ink has gold flecks in it. I did this swab without first shaking the bottle so we can see the color of the ink and not just the gold flecks. Not that there’s anything wrong with gold flecks.

Some people avoid this and Stormy Grey because the flecks can make this a high-maintnance ink.  I’m willing to put up with the extra effort for the extra omg-factor. You?

INK DROP: January 2015 (Spoilers)

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PENTULANT 044January 2015 Ink Drop from Goulet Pens

I received January’s Ink Drop from Goulet Pens earlier this week.

I usually super-saturate cotton swabs with ink before swiping across the paper, but this time, I barely barely got the cotton wet with ink. I thinking maybe this gives a more accurate idea of what the ink would look like from a pen? If you have thoughts, I’d love to hear them.

I’m about to reveal the inks from top to bottom. If you don’t want to know, this is the time to look away.

 

  • De Atramentis Black Edition-Brown – I know, it looks kind of purply to me, too (it’s not just the scan)
  • Rohrer & Klingner Verdigris
  • Noodler’s X-Feather – this stuff is great if you’re looking for an ink that doesn’t feather or spread
  • Private Reserve Ebony Purple – another ink I adore
  • Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite

And the theme?  Safe for Work

I like most of these inks – going to have to look at the De Atramentis a bit more, though.  What are you thinking? Safe for work?

INK SWAB: 8/365 – Sailor Kobe #18 – Sannomiya Panse

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* PURPLE SAILOR 18 SANNOMIYA PANSE 008

 

I love this ink. The Sailor Kobe line has lots of great colors and (so far) the ones I’ve tried perform well. I got mine on eBay.

If you know of other places to get the Kobe line, please leave a comment below.

I found Candyology over the holidays. I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing. Mmm…chocolate.

xo