La Plume Etoile

I am terribly behind in reviews and I apologize.  I will try to post more regularly, as I have a lot of reviews waiting to be posted.

The Color: BLACK.  It’s fantastic.  A black ink should be very black and a black-black rather than a bluish or greenish-black.  Perle Noir (”Black Pearl”) is exactly that.  If I had to say this black had a tinge of another color, it would be a purple or eggplant. 

On Paper: Wet, black and consistent.

Consistency: Very saturated, yet safe and gentle for pens — like all other J. Herbin inks.

Overall: Another favorite from J. Herbin.  This is THE black ink in my rotation.  Not only is it the perfect black color, but it is also safe for my vintage pens.  J. Herbin always flows well and I don’t have to worry about “gunk” building up in the pen or the nib.

Purchasing and Pricing: A 30mL bottle runs between $7-10 depending on the retailer and is available at most online retailers catering to fountain pen and ink users.

Tweet This Post 

The kind folks at Rohrer & Klinger Inks sent me their entire line of inks to try.  Thank you, Johannes!  Rather than doing a separate review for each ink, I thought I’d treat you to a lot of ink eye candy all at once!

The Bottle: The bottles are glass with a white plastic ribbed top.

The Color: The colors are bright, rich and saturated.  I’ll let you view the photos instead of describing each ink.  There are a few that I will highlight:  Morinea is one of my ideal shades of red - dark and blue based, but not too dark or burgundy; Heliannthus is a dark enough yellow to see on paper and could be good for highlighting purposes; Cassia is an ideal purple color and I love the blues of Konigslau and Blau Permanent (this one is permanent!); Verdigris is a dark teal type color - it reminds me of a teal color mixed with a charcoal grey; and Leipziger Schwarz is a very black black.

On Paper: All the swatches below were made with a glass dip pen, so I was putting a lot of ink on the paper at once.  As you can see, still no feathering and minimal bleeding on the notebook paper lines.  Even with the heavy use of the ink, there is minimal bleed through on the back of the paper sheets.  A triumph indeed!

Consistency: I currently have Cassis in a refilled Pilot Varsity and am not having any problems with it.  It’s flowing well and performing nicely.

Other Considerations: Something very cool about R&K inks is that all ink colors can be blended together to create your own combinations.  I have not tried this, but this is what R&K told me.  However, if you do blend the Sepia, be sure to wash the fountain pen after use.  Scabiosa and Salix are both iron gull nut ink and R&K says they are safe for fountain pens, but you will definitely need to wash the fountain pen after use.  From my learning of gull inks, the best choice may be to only use these with dip pens instead of loading them, as they have a higher tendency to clog pens.

Crystals could separate from the water component of the ink in airline shipment due to pressure, but I have been told this is not normal.

Overall: R&K produces a set of very lovely colors to enhance your collection.

Purchasing and Pricing: Learn more about R&K at http://www.rohrer-klingner.de.  You can buy bottles of R&K from your favorite retailers like Pendemonium and others.  Bottles retail for about $10-12.

Tweet This Post 

Once again, it has been too long since the last review and I still have many items patiently waiting for their place in the spotlight.  I’m working on it!
This review is for a fountain pen by the Think company.  Think pens are very cool and unique.  Many of their designs are unlike any other pens on the market.  I predict it might be very difficult for you to pick just one design!

Furthermore, the website for Think pens is creative with inspirational sayings.  This is definitely a company made of pen people, as its motto, “Think in Ink,” demonstrates.  You can find more Think pens at www.thinkpens.com.

I have been privileged to have the Alla Moda fountain pen in the color “Slicker,” from Think’s newest collection of pens.

Appearance: This is a colorful pen!  The body is a turquoise color with a contrasting and eye-catching orange section.  The top of the cap is also the same orange.  The rest of the resin cap is a beautiful deep metallic blue with lines through it to give it a marbled look.  I think it almost looks like electricity, which reflects the energy of the pen.  The pen is then trimmed in engraved chrome with a chrome jewel on top featuring a “T.”

Nib: The nib is still in a Medium point.  All Think pens are only available in Medium.   I was a bit concerned about the Medium nib before using the pen, as I am normally a person who prefers Fine nibs.  However, I worried for nothing.  The Medium nib laid down an average sized line that was neither too thin nor too wide, as you will see in the photos below.  The nib is sturdy, but the tines will open if pressure is applied.

Opening and Closing: This pen is a twist cap and posts securely.

Size/Weight: This is a thick, fat pen…or maybe I should say phat.  Anyway, there is definitely more pen to grip.   I was also concerned about this aspect before using the pen, but it is actually very easy to write with and a great change from always writing with thin pens.  The thickness of this pen would be especially great for someone with large hands.

The pen also feels sturdy in the hand, without being heavy.  I prefer to use this pen unposted, as posting the cap makes it a bit top-heavy.  However, someone with larger hands than I have would probably disagree.

Writing: No problems here!  It lays down a smooth line and is really a fun addition to the collection.  The pen will dry up if not used for a while, but this is typical of most fountain pens.  The usual trick of running the nib under water will cure this temporary condition.

Ink: The ink in the photos below is Diamine Chocolate Brown.

Other Considerations: Think pens are available in cartridges or converters, so there is something for everyone.  I prefer converters and that is how I used the pen for this review.

The Box: If the pen wasn’t exciting enough, box aficionados are going to be thrilled.  The box is bright green plastic, lined in black felt, with a sliding top bearing the name “THINK” in black and magenta.  It’s quite cool and just as eye-catching as the pen!

Overall: A very cool pen.  I would like to try more of the Think line.  Preview all the designs at www.thinkpens.com.

Tweet This Post 

I have sent several shipments of my unneeded pens to the great charity, Pens for Kids.  Pens for Kids (PFK) provides pens to children in Africa to help them enhance their educational experience.  Many of these children do not even have pens and pencils, which makes learning and doing homework extremely difficult.  I found this cause to be extremely important because education is what saves many of these children in their poverty and disease-stricken communities.

In addition to pens, PFK accepts monetary donations that are used for postage to ship pens to Africa.

I spoke with Linda, the Executive Director of PFK, about whether they are getting enough pens and money to adequately serve the children.  She told me that:

“Getting pens donated is not problem (we’re currently receiving about 2000 pens a month from all over the world including a pen company in the US, but the issue we have is paying to ship them to Africa. We receive about $200 per month in monetary donations and we pay for the balance needed personally.  Right now we are collecting pens to personally take . . . a couple friends and I are going on a safari and are trying to get the airlines to let us take extra bags.”

Even though PFK gets a good number of pens, there are still not enough pens for all who need them.  Linda also told me, ” These countries are poverty stricken and dealing with child AIDS, malaria, infant mortality, corrupt governments, lack of food and clothing etc.   School is TRULY a luxury and the one area that we chose to focus on to make a difference. Education is the only way to solve the other issues.    We are a grassroots effort and 100% of what ever is notated - pens or cash for shipping  - goes directly to the kids.  We have no paid employees and are only a group of 6 people around the world slowly making a difference.  So, the short answer is no, we are always under-supplied but $$ is the bigger challenge.”

It is truly touching that people like Linda make these trips and personally supplement PFK’s financial deficits to help children in need.  Please visit www.pensforkids.com to learn more about how you can help.  You can ship pens to PFK’s Long Beach location or directly to Africa.  You can also send money to help PFK ship pens to Africa.

Tweet This Post 

Appearance: The Diplomat Excellence B is a very classy looking pen. It is a pearlized white with silver trim and clip. The section is black.

Nib: The nib is stainless steel, etched with the Diplomat logo and the words “DIPLOMAT Since 1922 F.” The nib is connected to the section, so if for any reason you change nibs, you change the whole section piece with the nib, not just the nib itself. My nib often has nib creep, but that does not affect the performance of the pen at all.

Opening and Closing: This pen has a pull-off cap that removes easily. When capping the pen, the cap seals with a satisfying click and stays on securely.

Size/Weight: This pen is a good width, neither too skinny nor thick. It is comfortable for me to wrap my fingers around when writing, but someone with very large hands might find it small.

I find the pen to be well balanced and I prefer to write with it unposted because the pen’s body is slightly heavy for me, even though it is not really a heavy pen. It feels substantial in the hand. Despite the fact that the B’s weight is heavier than pens with which I normally write, I have comfortably written with this pen for several hours at a time.

Posting the cap requires a bit of pressure. If the cap is not pressed down enough to post properly, it will flop around and fall off, so I advise making sure it is on good.

Writing: Writing with the Excellence B is smooth and easy. Like I said, I have comfortably written with it for long periods of time.

Ink: This is a cartridge/converter pen and I have been using it with a converter. The flow is also quite wet on this model, which adds more shading to my ink — a feature I like. The ink used in the photo below is J. Herbin’s Vert Olive (a favorite!).

Other Considerations: Like the Diplomat Esteem I reviewed before, the Excellence B has not given my any problems with drying out after leaving the pen sit for a while. I actually had not used this pen for a couple of months while I was busy with other projects and it was still fresh when I picked it up again! I do not know of many pens that will maintain a good flow without drying out after several months.

The Box: The Excellence B’s box is also quite nice. It has a satin pillow patterned with the Diplomat logo and a little piece of ribbon to hold the pen in place. For some reason there is a bit of lint in there which does get on the pen, but is easily wiped off. Then the box comes with a metal top that slides over the main box and then fits in a regular Diplomat cardboard box.

Overall: Diplomat’s website at www.mydiplomatpen.com, accurately states their products are “Fine German Writing Instruments.” The Excellence B is one of the more expensive pens in the line, but it is one of my favorite modern fountain pens and I highly recommend it.

Tweet This Post 

My friend Ian recently gave me an Esterbrook No. 427 Dipless inkwell.  I believe it belonged to his parents and it has been sitting unused for quite some time.

About the inkwell: There is not much information about this kind of inkwell online and it seems to be somewhat rare.  I have learned they were produced roughly between 1940 and 1952.  The base is made of bakelite, which is one of the first plastics made from synthetic compounds.  Bakelite has been used for radio casings, jewelry and other items.  The “dipless” type of Esterbrook inkwells does not mean that you don’t have to dip the pen.  The construction of the inkwell allows for a resavoir of ink where the pen inserts, so the pen needs to be dipped less often.

These inkwells also came with chrome clips that fit on the grooves of the glass, but these clips were missing on mine.

The Beginning: Here is a photo (using the flash) of my inkwell when I received it.  The glass wells are upside down here and, as you can see, the entire inkwell is caked in dirt.

Here is a shot without using the flash:

Cleaning: I filled a bucket with water and dish soap.  I rinsed all parts with water, and let the parts soak in the bucket while I worked on each piece individually.  There was still some very old ink inside the well and I was surprised to see it flowing out when I rinsed the well.  I carefully scrubbed the glass wells and rubber stoppers with a toothbrush and the soapy water.  Next, I did the same with the base portion, however, I also had to use a hard bristle cleaning brush because the remaining dirt was firmly stuck to the base.  Here is the result after cleaning it as best I could:

As you can see, there was still a bit of grime on it and the finish is very dull.

Polishing: After doing some online research and asking around, I learned the best product to restore and polish bakelite is a polish called Simichrome.  Simichrome is also used for silverware and, you guessed it, chrome.  The problem with this product is that it is extremely hard to find in brick-and-mortar stores.  I called eight stores before finding it in a local hardware store.  Simichrome is available on Amazon.com and various online retailers, but I much prefer buying products at a physical store.

After finally buying a tube of Simichrome, I used it with a soft cloth to polish the base.  I used a car polishing cloth, but you can also use a soft old t-shirt.  First, apply a tiny amount of Simichrome on the cloth.  Second, rub Simichrome on the bakelite in circular motions, then buff it off with a clean portion of the cloth.  At first, the bakelite didn’t look much shinier than before.  Then I discovered that the magic really happens in the buffing portion.  Slowly, the bakelite started getting shiny.

After buffing, the bakelite looked good.  However, I decided I wanted the bakelite even shinier.  I came to terms with the fact it would not be as shiny as if it had a clear-coat on it, but I wanted it to be as shiny as possible.  I then used Turtle Wax car polish and rubbed it on/buffed it out in the same manner as I did with the Simichrome.  The Turtle Wax I used was the paste version in the tub and it really helped to bump the shine up a notch.

Disclaimer: Using Turtle Wax was my own decision, as nobody recommended it to me for restoring bakelite.  I do not know if Turtle Wax is good for bakelite in the long term.  However, it worked really well, with no apparent damage to the bakelite.

Final result: In bright light, as seen below with the flash, you can still see some scratches in the bakelight:

Without flash, you can see how the bakelite really shines.  This is how it looks in reality:

Here are two more shots, with flash and without flash respectively, as to how the inkwell looks on my desk:

I am really happy with how beautiful this inkwell looks now!  I am also happy to be able to give it new life and a good home.

I am happy to answer further questions about this restoration and comments are  welcome!

Tweet This Post 

The Bottle: A small rectangle plastic bottle. I think this is just for sampling purposes.

The Color: This is a great black color. I have found it to be a black-black, and not very influenced by purples, blues or greens like other black inks.

Consistency: Saturated and consistent. I tested this ink in a Lamy Joy AL Calligraphy pen with a 1.1 mm nib and it flows well.  I never had a problem with clogging or drying and it was a pleasure to use.

Other Considerations: None I can think of - this is a great ink!

Tweet This Post 

Mont Blanc recently invited me to preview their new Ingrid Bergman pen. I unfortunately do not have photos to share  because I did not bring my camera when I previewed the pen.

The Ingrid Bergman pen is beautiful with a mother of pearl style cap and amethyst on the clip.  The body of the pen is black resin.  If you are familiar with the Mont Blanc writing experience, the pen writes the same.  What really amazes me about the Bergman, Dietrich and Garbo pens is that Mont Blanc really evokes the essence of each woman in the style of the pen.  It is hard to explain, you have to see them to experience it.  You can view the Bergman pen at Mont Blanc’s website here.

While at Mont Blanc, I also browsed the Starwalker, Boheme and my personal favorite, the new Etoile collection.  How could I not love it with that name?!  The other pen I really liked is the one to benefit Unicef, with a beautiful sapphire stone in the cap.

While the Mont Blanc pens are some of the most gorgeous around, I found the nibs to drag.  Have you had this experience?  What do you think of the Mont Blanc pens?

Tweet This Post 

The Bottle: A small rectangle plastic bottle. I think this is just for sampling purposes.

The Color: This is a really great dark brown. I am generally not a brown fan, but really like the warmth of this one. Another plus of this one is that it is close to black and therefore may be able to add some variety to writing in a business environment.

This ink is pretty consistent on different papers. There is no feathering and not much shading due to its dark hue. The writing sample in the photos was taken with a glass dip pen, so again, it is a bit darker than when writing with a filled pen.

Consistency: Saturated and consistent. It flows well. I found it dried in the pen if I didn’t use the pen enough, but part of this seems to be due to the pen. Other inks did dry in this pen, just not quite as much as this Chocolate Brown.

Other Considerations: As you can see from my writing samples, the ink is not waterproof.  Overall, this is a great brown color and I like it!

Tweet This Post 

The Bottle: A small rectangle plastic bottle. I think this is just for sampling purposes and it comes in a nicer bottle for purchase.

The Color: This is a really great dark, forest-y, emerald green color. The ink writes really dark with the glass dip pen. However, the lighter edges of some of the lines are more like what it looks like flowing from an actual pen.

This ink is pretty consistent on different papers. There is no feathering and the ink has some shading. The writing sample in the photos was taken with a glass dip pen, so there is more noticeable shading than when writing with a fountain pen.

Consistency: Saturated and consistent. It flows well.

Other Considerations: Like I said, the ink is a lighter when written with a fill pen, rather than a glass dip. Otherwise, I like it!

Tweet This Post