INK SWAB: 68/365 – Stipula Ebony Black

STIPULA 003

 

Stipula Ebony Black

Compared with other black inks, this one is looks darker and more glossy than others.

Did you see this article in the NY Times about micro-apartments? For as long as I can remember, I’ve had huge romantic yearnings for living in a tiny place. I think Mary Tyler Moore started it all for me. Could you do it?  I’m thinking 600 square feet, though, definitely not under 400.

CHECK IT OUT MONDAY: Instagram

six red pens
I’ve been busy over on the Instagram again.  

Pocket Dept. Notebook and Lamy Safari Fountain Pens

I’m seeing a definite trend.  Ink reviews on the blog. Pen porn over on Instagram. It wasn’t even on purpose – it’s just so easy. And it doesn’t feel like it has to be perfect.

Recent delivery from Goulet Pens

What does the fox say?
I love that this looks like a selfie. haha

If you’ve not tried this, you simply must.
Simply. Must.
Trader Joe’s Speculoos Cookie & Cocoa Swirl

Tippy top of the Golden Gate Bridge on a Saturday evening
Nib creep is kinda sexy
Always Journey Dreamer Journal from Brush Dance

I also wanted to remind you today that I’m giving away one of the amazing Journals / Notebooks pictured above.

INK REVIEW: Stipula Sapphron

Holy cow. 
I hate Stipula Sapphron.

It shades like a son-of-a-gun. Sounds like I should love it, right? Or at least like it. But no, I hate it.

It’s not often that I say that. In fact, here are all of my posts with “hate” as a tag.  
In the sample vial, the ink looked like a pretty (though not saturated) orange. When I swabbed, I thought the ink looked a little on the yellow side, but was still pretty enough.  (See my first impressions on the handwritten review.)

Then I started writing with it. I was sure my pen must have been dirty. But at the same time, I knew it was a brand new pen and a brand new converter. No ink had ever touched either and both were cleaned prior to use. I twisted a bit of ink out onto another piece of paper – and it sat there looking like a bubble of yellowish mud!  When I smeared that mud around with a cotton swab – it looked like the Ink Swab in my review.
Ca-razy! I don’t get it.

You know what else I don’t get? I couldn’t find even one other review for this ink. Not on Fountain Pen Network, not on Goulet Pens, and even Google came up empty. It’s like I’m in the twilight zone over here.

Hard to believe I’m going pass by shading like this. But I am.

Pretty weird. That’s my first impression – and coincidentally – my bottom line for Stipula’s Sapphron. (By the way, I have no Stipula aversion – I own and love several of their fabulous pens. This ink is just weird.)

In fact, I wanted this to work badly enough that I tried it again another day. With another kind of paper.

Always looking on the bright side, however, Apache Sunset has been on my list of inks to review forever and I’m excited that it’s coming up sometime soon!  And that De Aramentis Gandhi? Isn’t that pretty? 
Time to ‘fess up! Do you have Sappron? Do you love it? Hate it?