A penchant for pens and inks
Narwhal Key West is the latest pretty pen offering from the California-based pen company. Made from sparkly, semi-transparent resin and a traditional cigar shape, the Narwhal Key West series are priced mid way between the Narwhal Original and the Schuylkill*. At £40-£45, this makes them budget priced, by pen enthusiast standards.
I have just ordered new art cards in six new designs, including two seasonal (aka Christmas). They should be with me early next week so you can pre-order them in my shop here.
Today I am reviewing two pens from the Visconti Homo Sapiens range: the Bronze Age and the Evolution. Both are made from a unique pyroclastic material, characteristic of the Visconti Homo Sapiens range. Sourced from Mt. Etna, the matte black Basaltic Lava is purported to be virtually indestructible.
Made For Ink notebooks are made by Rob de la Porte and are, as the name suggests, made for ink. You’ll have noticed the lack of my usual pithy title for this review. It seemed unnecessary, since, to borrow a well-known phrase, “it does what it says on the tin”.
Following on from my recent review of the Gravitas Skittles, a delightful rainbow of a pen, here is my Gravitas Skulls pen review. I really couldn’t resist adding this pen to my collection, having been something of a Goth back in the day. Continue reading “Gothic Delight”
The Kaweco Perkeo is the entry level pen offering from long established German pen makers, Kaweco. Comparable in price point to the Lamy Safari, it also has a similar triangular grip section. This is something of a marmite feature, with some people loving how it guides your grip, and others hating it for the same reason. As someone who holds a pen “correctly”, I don’t have an issue with it. I think that it is a useful feature for beginners, which is the target market for this pen. Continue reading “Budget Perks”
The Shibui Kibo is a pen like no other, Weighing in at a mighty 142g, it makes the steel Gravitas Skittles seem like a featherweight in comparison. If you like lightweight, plastic pens then then walk away now. On the other hand, if you like a heavy pen with some Urushi craftsmanship to it, read on. Lighter pens in aluminium are also available from this maker, though I have not had the opportunity to try one as yet. Continue reading “Ancient Copper”
The Pineider Arco Blue Bee flew through my door this week for review, courtesy of United Inkdom. This is a Limited Edition of 888 units. The Arco Blue Bee was designed by Dante Del Vecchio, a renowned Italian pen designer and founder of Visconti, with whom he parted company a few years ago to join Pineider.
Back in February, I purchased the Gravitas Skittles pen, in the brushed finish with a Fine nib, and was rather smitten. I’ll confess that now, so you are under no illusions as to how this review is going to go. You may want to read on to know more about the pen and its maker though.
As part of the United Inkdom review team, I received a Manuscript Dodec Calligraphy Set and also a Manuscript Hand Lettering pen to review. These are very much budget, entry level options and ideal as a sub-£10 toe-dipper into the world of decorative lettering.
Continue reading “Budget Calligraphy – Manuscript Dodec Review”