Serious Nibbage Part 22: Levenger True Writer Kyoto @Levenger @sbrebrown

Check out my review.
Check out SBRE Brown's review.
Find previous episodes of Serious Nibbage here!

If you'd like to sponsor an episode of Serious Nibbage and would like us to review a pen/nib/ink, etc, contact Stephen or myself!

Whiskers & Paws: January 2015 Edition

Review: J. Herbin Refillable Rollerball Pen @BureauDirect

The J. Herbin refillable roller ball pen takes ink cartridges! Thanks to Bureau Direct for providing this pen for review. 

ABOUT

Body Material: Resin
Trim: Metal
Length (capped): 4.6"
Length (uncapped nib-end): 3.75"
Length (posted): 5.5"
Barrel Diameter: 1.0"
Nib material: Metal
Weight: 8 g
Fill type: Ink cartridge
Price: £4.95
Where to buy: Bureau Direct

Free UK Delivery over £10

PACKAGING

This pen came in the Bureau Vintage Stationery Gift Bundle (green), which comes with a small Clairefontaine 1951 Le Carnet notebook, this refillable rollerball pen, and a tin of J. Herbin Vert Pré ink cartridges. Packaging will vary as an individual purchase.

APPEARANCE

This rollerball pen is really cute. It's pretty small and the scheme is cute. The It's a rounded pen with an entirely clear plastic body, except for the metal cap plug and clip, as well as a single metal ring around the barrel (that is very easy to lose, so be careful). There is also a secondary plastic slip cap inside the cap but you can still see the feed and tip through it. J. Herbin is written on the cap in capitals in red letters. I think it's very tasteful. Both ends of the pen are rounded off. The cap is almost as long as the barrel is, which I like the look of. The feed is grey and you can see it as well as the ink cartridge through the clear body.

PERFORMANCE

I had read many mixed reviews of this pen: some people had pens that clogged, some were so scratchy they couldn't stand it, some just didn't have good flow. Therefore, I was quite pleased (and a little surprised) when I popped an ink cartridge in - J. Herbin Vert Pré ink - and it wrote immediately. It has a little bit of a scratchy feeling, but nothing that a typical roller ball doesn't have. It also wrote consistently and the ink doesn't skip. After sitting for a few days, it writes right away again, without needing to be scribbled with to get the ink flowing again. This is a good ink with this pen. I think, based on how the pen/flow just feels, using a wet ink that flows well is the best idea. Dry inks or thicker inks (those with pigments) will clog your feed or slow the flow.

IN HAND

This roller ball pen is quite small unposted, so if you have larger hands, it's going to be a bit of a challenge to write with! For me, I can handle the small size, but it is more comfortable posted. The section is pretty small and although there is a plastic ridge that sticks out closer to the tip, I still find the section to be very slippery and my grip slides.

It isn't uncomfortable in terms of its weight and balance though. It is a nice shape, smooth plastic body that doesn't hurt the hand or the grip, and it feels nice to hold. With a good wet ink, there is little pressure required to write with the pen. A good combination is ideal.

PROS & CONS

OVERALL

This is a decent, inexpensive roller ball pen that is worth a shot, especially if you like fountain pen inks (and colours). Whether you like fountain pens or not, it's handy to have.

I received this pen free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not compensated monetarily for my review. Everything you've read here is my own opinion. There are no affiliate links in this review.

Wordless Wednesday

Ink Shot Review: Noodler's Steel Blue Ink @CarolLuxury

I picked up this bottle as a gift at show from Dromgoole's at the Dallas Pen Show in 2013 - another great reason to go to the Dallas show! It's awesome. I really enjoyed it the two years I attended.

ABOUT

Color: Blue-Black
Bottle: 1 oz/30 ml
Price: ?
Price/ml: ?
Where to buy: Dromgoole's (it's an exclusive to Dromgoole's - call if you really must have it!)

PROS

• A great blue-black colour. 
• Little show through, despite dark colour.
• Decent shading, especially for a dark ink.
• Water resistant. 
• Good flow.

CONS

• It's an exclusive - a bit hard to get. 
• Only in 1 oz bottles!

OVERALL

I normally don't care for blue-black inks, but I really like this one. It's not a cold, dismal blue-black. This one has some warmth to it, strangely enough (I say strangely, given the name of the ink and all). I very much enjoy it. 

@InklyCards Personally Handwritten Greeting Cards Giveaway!

Inkly is a mobile app that allows you to send personally handwritten greeting cards and/or postcards from your smartphone. All you have to do is write your message on paper, taking a photo of it within the app, and it can then be placed into the personalized card of your choice.

Currently, printing and postage is based in the UK, so depending on your recipient, it can take a little longer to arrive. Printing from the USA is expected to roll out soon.

Image from Inkly

Inkly cards are printed in the highest possible quality every time, so they will look lovely! You can pick from a variety of envelope colors, including recycled ones. You can make your own cards with your own pictures.

Image from Inkly

Check Inkly out!
Get the App from App Store.
Get the App from Google Play Store.
Compatible with iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch iOS 6.0, and Android 4.0 and up.

Inkly wanted to offer a unique code to a reader to try out the app for free! Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter and lend some support to Inkly! Giveaway is open to anyone, starts today, and ends on Sunday, February 1st, 2015.

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Sunday Reads: January 25. 2015

• Paperclip binding, at Dude Craft.
• Four Pens I Can't Put Down, at From The Pen Cup.
• JetPens covers Dr. Grip Mechanical Pencils. 
• So many ways that paper can be used -  here's a unique one, at Colossal.
• A review of an ink I very much like the looks of - Montblanc Winter Glow, at Pens! Paper! Pencils!
• 13 Things To Do With All Those Blank Notebooks, at The Well-Appointed Desk.

In Case You Missed It:

• Baron Fig Confidant LE Notebook: The Three-Legged Juggler
• Serious Nibbage Part 20: OMAS 360 (Vintage)
• Major Mailbox Goodies.
• Ink Shot Review: Kaweco Royal Blue Ink
• Sponsor Highlight: La Couronne du Comte
• Review: OMAS Arte Italiana Milord Fountain Pen - Broad
• The Pen O'Clock News: Episode 3 2015

Serious Nibbage Part 21: Pilot Parallel @PilotPenUSA @sbrebrown

Check out my review.
Check out SBRE Brown's review.
Find previous episodes of Serious Nibbage here!

If you'd like to sponsor an episode of Serious Nibbage and would like us to review a pen/nib/ink, etc, contact Stephen or myself!

The Pen O'Clock News: Episode 3 @sbrebrown

Aurora Terra Aurea Minima Fountain Pen
Conklin Mark Twain Crescent Fahrney's Exclusive Fountain Pen
Lamy Nexx Special Edition Citron Fountain Pen
Retro 51 Tornado 4EVER Popper

Find past episodes here.

If you’d like to sponsor an episode of The Pen O'Clock News or would like us to mention your company/a product you carry, please contact me through the contact page, or via email.

Review: OMAS Arte Italiana Milord Fountain Pen - Broad @PenChalet @OMASsrl @OMASPensUK

Time to review this hypnotic beauty! I may have fallen madly in love with OMAS fountain pens... this is very dangerous.

ABOUT

Body Material: Celluloid
Trim: Gold
Length (capped): 146.35 mm/5.76"
Length (uncapped nib-end): 130.61 mm/5.14"
Length (posted): 177.5 mm/6.99"
Barrel Diameter: 10.8 - 14.4 mm/0.48" - 0.56"
Section Diameter: 10.72 - 12.29 mm/0.42" - 0.48"
Nib material: 18KT Gold
Weight (all): 30 g
Weight (cap): 10 g
Weight (body): 20 g
Fill type: Piston-filler
Price: $805.50USD
Where to buy: Pen Chalet

PACKAGING

I was eagerly waiting for this pen to arrive and I probably scared the parcel delivery gentleman when I tore the door open and yelped. Like the Ogiva Alba fountain pen, the Milord also has attractive packaging. The shimmery slate grey sleeve has the OMAS logo. Inside is a solid box with a removable lid. It has a light grey felt nest and a grey pen sleeve. The Milord was in plastic packaging inside the sleve, also complete with QC check.

The felt inside the box says:

ItalianCreativity,History,Craftsmanship,The Pleasure ofWriting

The packaging is beautiful and classy.

APPEARANCE

After recently reviewing the OMAS Ogiva Alba (with the 14KT rhodium-plated EF, extra flessible nib) and loving it, I was really looking forward to this pen. There's no doubt this pen is stunning. It's a large pen, widest at the center, tapering gradually towards the ends. The cap and barrel is 12-faceted, which really shows off the material. The end is slightly rounded into a point.

The finial is also slightly rounded off, also in celluloid, with a yellow gold ring set in it.

The yellow gold clip is internally attached, filling the width of the facet it sits on, arching away from the cap before touching down again. The end has the OMAS rolling ball. The center band is marked with OMAS and the Greek key design. The remaining trim is a gold ring at the piston-turning knob and a ring at the end of the section before the nib. The yellow gold trim is a beautiful, warm complement to the material - highlighting the rich warmth of the material. The section is straight, tapering slightly towards the nib. The threads are in the center of the section.

Now... the material! How to describe this stunning celluloid? Parts of the body are striated in a warm, rich brown. In between, there are shimmering, pearlescent, elongated rings of copper, bronze, gold, and what could only be burnt sienna (because describing it as brown would be too simple). It's so beautiful. This celluloid is breathtaking, and mesmerizing. Combined with the size and shape of the pen, and with the yellow gold trim, it's a winner.

NIB & PERFORMANCE

The nib is an 18KT yellow gold broad nib. The feed is ebonite and looked very well set prior to use. Like the rest of the body, the yellow gold nib complements the rich celluloid very well. The size of the nib matches the pen well. It has a single slit and breather hole and is marked with OMAS, the gold content, nib size, and there are some striations on it. It's an elegant, attractive nib. The broad tip is wonderful - it has a somewhat stubby shape that shows while writing.

I inked with Diamine Burnt Sienna and the pen wrote very well right away. The nib is soft, yielding slightly while writing. With pressure, some line variation is possible, but the feed will dry out. As such, that softness is ideally reserved for the pleasure of normal, soft writing.

The nib is smooth and well-polished, and not overpolished. It's a wet and juicy writer, appropriate for a generously-flowing broad nib. It brings out shading and sheens in inks very well. The nib and feed, overall, are excellent. I thoroughly enjoy the writing experience with this pen.

Just like with the Ogiva Alba, I caution you to apply pressure to this nib carefully. It's soft and responsive.

IN HAND

The clip ball is most useful - the clip is firm but the rolling ball allows the pen to easily slide on to papers (or shirts). It also slides off without snagging. It's very practical.

The section is comfortable, although not my preferred shape. I like the kind of section shape that indents for fingers and flares before nibs, somewhat of an hourglass shape). The threads in the middle of the section are smooth but if you do grip right there, you'll feel it. They are threads. I don't find them bothersome though. The ridge from the section to barrel is sharp, but it's so far back it shouldn't be an issue. Despite it not being my favorite section shape, I still find it very comfortable to use.

Unposted, the pen is a comfortable length, weight, and size. It is well-balanced for both large and small hands. The cap posts securely, although not deeply, however it makes the pen very long and unwieldy for me.

The celluloid is warm and comfortable in hand. It's a pleasant experience and it's one of the things that makes fountain pens so enjoyable! The piston operated smoothly (unlike my very first OMAS experience), so I was happy about that!

PROS & CONS

I spent awhile getting to know this pen well. What I did discover is it was very, very difficult to remove the nib and feed from the section. That also means it's very difficult to put it back in! Fortunately, the piston operates well, but I like being able to maintain my own pens.


OVERALL

This is an absolutely stunning pen and checks almost every box for me. It's not only beautiful, it writes very well - smooth, juicy, and soft. Delicious. It's certainly not inexpensive though. Ouch.