I can't help but smile when I come across a well-made Japanese product. I have flashbacks of subway rides and midnight karaoke sessions that are woven through memories of a friendly culture obsessed with quality and presentation. I open my Midori Traveler's Notebook or uncap a Pilot pen, and I'm reminded of this love for quality and subtle delights. This week I had the pleasure of testing Namiki Iroshizuku Tsukushi ink, a part of the Namiki Iroshizuku sampler pack. I found myself face to face with not only another example of a truly stellar Japanese product, but perhaps the best ink that I have ever used.
Tsukushi, or 土筆 is a Japanese Horsetail plant that's reddish brown in color. Since my experience with Japanese Horsetail is limited to a brief Google search, I would say that the ink reminds me of light-medium roasted coffee beans. Namiki Iroshizuku Tsukushi ink works well in nibs from fine to flex alike, and its shading properties further the coffee bean comparison, showing several layers of colors with subtle shades of red, similar to coffee beans in various stages of the roasting process.
Namiki Iroshizuku Tsukushi ink has a moderate dry time. It's worth noting that I test my inks with a J. Herbin Dip Pen, which tends to leave a line that is slightly thicker than that of a traditional fine nib. The ink dried in approximately 45 seconds with the dip pen, but performed somewhat better in my Lamy 2000, with a dry time of approximately 35 seconds. It's not the fastest drying ink around, but it shines in other areas. The ink shows a nice level of shading for such a dark color and performs extremely well with a flex nib. I just can't get over how wonderful this ink pops on the Rhodia DotPad, but I find that its appearance on Tomoe River paper, my daily writing paper, is even more dramatic.
The Namiki Iroshizuku Tsukushi's shading properties make it a great ink for a flex nib, but the ink really shines in my Lamy 2000. The ink lays down a dark brown line with shades of red, but the color mellows as it dries, leaving a lighter brown behind. There's just enough flex in my fine-nibbed Lamy 2000 to leave hints of shading in each letter. The result is lettering with colors that are dark and consistent enough to read but shaded just enough to catch the eye. The faint shades of red call to be inspected more closely.
I have a sample or two of other Iroshizuku inks that I have yet to try, so the Namiki Iroshizuku Tsukushi is my first real step into the world of premium Namiki inks. If the Tsukushi is any indication of the performance of the other inks in this line, I'll be purchasing a few bottles in the near future. The ink has a wonderful balance between shading performance and readability for thinner nibs. I've tested this ink in my Lamy 2000 for a day or two now, and it has proven worthy of replacing the Aurora Blue that I have been using for the last month or two. While black and blue may be safe choices for everyday writers, the Pilot Iroshizuku Tsukushi ink performs beautifully and is worthy of consideration for one of your edc pens. I'm surprised by just how well this ink performs across a wide range of nib sizes, and it's hard to find fault with such a consistently excellent ink. While Iroshizuku inks may be slightly more expensive, the difference in quality is leaps and bounds above the difference in price. If you haven't tried Iroshizuku inks before and want to see what they're all about, check out a sampler pack. If you're ready to take the Tsukushi dive, there are also full-sized bottles available.
Disclaimer: I received this ink free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not compensated monetarily and all opinions posted here are my own.
My fountain pen collection has quickly grown from one plain black Lamy Safari to a handful of colorful writers that deserve equally colorful inks. I love to try new inks, but gambling $10-$30 on an ink that I may or may not like doesn't seem like a smart thing to do. I discovered Goulet Pen's Ink Drop service that ships five inks to my door every month for only $10. This lets me test a ton of different colors and brands of inks and purchase my favorites, which are usually available at a discount at the Goulet shop. I love this service, but testing multiple inks at a time can be cumbersome. Traditional fountain pens can easily be inked, but they require a water flush and 24 hours of dry time after each test. I turned to the J. Herbin Glass Dip Pen as a potential solution to my inky problems.
The J. Herbin Glass Dip Pen is a stunning hand-made glass dip pen. I chose the orange pen, since orange is my favorite color, and the shades of orange and yellow remind me of a blazing sunset. The pen comes in multiple colors, but they are all equally stunning.
It's clear from the name that dip pens require the user to dip the tip of the pen into ink in order to write. The J. Herbin pen's tip looks like a paint brush, and the recessed channels use capillary action to hold additional ink. Instead of drying up after a few letters, this dip pen can write several lines with the help of these ink channels. The tip is rather scratchy, compared to traditional fountain pens; however, it is possible to sand the tip with very fine sandpaper (see this video for details). I don't mind the rough tip, since I only use this pen to write a few lines with each ink. The pen lays down a juicy line that shows off all of the color properties of the ink.
The best part about glass dip pens is that they are incredibly easy to clean. Simply run the pen under a tap and dry with a paper towel. There are no complicated feeds to flush or day-long dry times. The ease of cleaning makes it possible to test several inks in a very short period of time, which is perfect for my Ink Drop subscription.
The J. Herbin Glass Dip Pen is an excellent solution for those looking for an easier way to test inks. The pen leaves a consistently fine line that shows off the best properties of each ink, and it can be cleaned with a simple pass under a faucet. At $30 or so, this pen is a bargain, especially when considering the time saved amidst countless ink swatching and labelling. For those who haven't discovered the wonderful world of inks, it really is half of the fun of owning fountain pens. The best part is that products like the The J. Herbin Glass Dip Pen and Ink Drop make it incredibly cheap and easy to find your perfect color.
A wintery blizzard consumed the east coast this weekend. As I sat, wrapped in a blanket with the space heater on full blast, I thought that it would be a great week to try out a few gray inks. I didn't understand the appeal of such inks, since they are often too light to use with traditional fine nibs and seemed to be impractical, but I was pleasantly surprised when I put a few inks through their paces. I settled on Private Reserve Gray Flannel to review simply, due to its awesome name and shading properties.
Private Reserve Gray Flannel Ink has the most extreme shading properties of the three gray inks that I've tried so far. Although I only swipe ink swatches twice, the Gray Flannel Ink showed multiple shades of gray, unlike the De Atramentis Frankincense and Pilot Iroshizuku. The variation of shading with my Pilot Parallel pen was so extreme that the ink seemed to shimmer on the page.
Private Reserve Gray Flannel Ink has fantastic shading properties, dark enough to be legible with a standard fine nib and is relatively inexpensive, compared to its competitors. Although I hadn't considered using a grey ink in the past, Gray Flannel is a lot of fun to use with my Noodler's Ahab Flex and Pilot Parallel Calligraphy pens. The ink's dry time is reasonably fast, and its name is also my favorite of the gray bunch.
Note: I switched to using a glass dip pen instead of the Lamy Safari to test ink dry times starting with this review. Dry times may not compare equally with previous ink reviews. The dip pen is much easier to clean than the Safari, so I plan to use it for all future ink reviews.
Fountain pens are built to last. They may run out of ink, but they can be refilled over and over again. The same thing can't be said for notebooks. Pages are filled with everything from beautiful prose to grocery lists, and the tears and scratches that mar the covers are reminders of the journey. Once these books are their most worn and beautiful, we chuck them out or put them on a shelf to collect dust. I've been longing for a notebook that could acquire these beautiful signs of age while lasting as long as a good pen.
I found the answer in the form of the leather Midori Traveler's Notebook. Leather lasts for decades, if taken care of, but it gains character over time. The Midori Traveler's Notebook isn't a notebook as much as an expandable system that I stumbled upon while browsing pictures of fountain pens. I turned to YouTube for more info and discovered a cult-like following of crafty women that post videos of their personalized notebooks. The stickers, decorative tapes, and cat-shaped paperclips were an instant turnoff. I loved that the full-sized Midori Traveler's Notebook was small enough to throw in a bag but large enough for detailed notes, but I wasn't interested in a notebook that had to be bejeweled. There simply aren't many male-friendly resources and reviews of this notebook. After a bit of searching, I found the Stuff & Things Review of the Midori Traveler's Notebook, and it was just the push that I needed.
The Midori Traveler's Notebook kit and optional expansion bands
The heart of the Midori Traveler's Notebook is a simple leather notebook cover. An elastic band makes up the spine of the cover and makes it possible to add notebook inserts. This band is held together by a small metal clasp. The cover comes with another elastic band that threads through the leather and around the notebook to keep it closed. There's even a small bookmark ribbon in the cover that makes it easier to quickly flip the notebook open to the next blank pages. The standard notebook kit also includes an extra elastic band, protective sleeve, and a blank 64 page notebook insert (refill 001). The notebook is only capable of holding one insert out of the box; however, Midori does sell additional connection bands that make it possible to add multiple inserts at once. I find that the Midori works well with two inserts, but the inserts tend to buldge out of the cover when three or more are inserted. This is largely due to Midori's process for adding additional inserts, but I'm sure that a quick internet search will reveal ways to avoid the buldge. The standard size of the Traveler's Notebook is close to A5 in height, but skinnier in width.
The Midori Traveler's Notebook is essentially a $40 flap of leather that requires expensive inserts. If you're looking for a budget notebook, you can stop reading right now, because the Midori isn't for you. Despite the expense, the quality of the notebook materials make up for the expensive price tag. The leather is cut precisely and sealed at the edges. The unique metal class appears to be hand clamped and gives the notebook an antique look. I've used the Midori Traveler's Notebook for months now, and the elastic bands are just as springy as they were when the notebook arrived in the mail. The Midori paper is superb for fountain pens, with minimal feathering. So yes, it's an expensive leather flap, but it's a damned good one. The Midori Traveler's Notebook is available in a standard and passport size. It comes in brown or black leather, although the company does release occasional limited editions.
I've tested several of the notebook inserts available for the Midori Traveler's notebook, and I enjoy writing on the lightweight paper the most. This refill uses 128 pages of the legendary Tomoe River paper, which is slightly thicker than tissue paper but is the perfect pairing for fountain pens. Tomoe River paper does have a significantly longer dry time than the stock insert paper, and Midori only makes a blank version of this refill. I would do shameful things for a dot grid version of the lightweight refill, but for now the great writing feel can't make up for the lack of guiding lines and grids. My handwriting isn't great to begin with, and the lack of writing guides make it worse.
There are endless ways to customize a Midori Traveler's Notebook, and I'm just getting started with mine. If you're curious, here is my current setup. Notice the lack of animal paper clips and inspirational phrases. This notebook is just as good without the stickers, so don't let the the crazy crafters be a turnoff:
The Midori can accommodate several inserts at once, but inserts tend to protrude when three or more are inserted.
The Midori Traveler's Notebook is a great choice for crafters and businesspeople alike. The size of the notebook is a nice balance between functional and portable, and the beautiful leather cover lives on well after the refills fill up. The scratches and scuffs on the notebook's cover are a testament to its journey, and I couldn't be happier with the story that they tell. I'm sure that this notebook will stand the test of time, so I hope to revisit it in the future, once my workflows mature. If you're interested in this notebook but are still on the fence, check out my link list of resources that helped to push me over the edge.
Every teacher needs a red pen. Although most of my grading is now done in the digital world, I still mark up a few paper assignments every week. Why red? Most students believe that teachers use red to instill fear and anguish, but the truth is that bright colors, such as red, make it easier to pick out corrections and comments amidst a sea of black. Diamine Pumpkin is my favorite fall choice for grading papers, but I needed a new color suitable for the changing seasons.
I ventured out in search of the perfect red to fill my TWSBI 580 and settled on Diamine Red Dragon fountain pen ink. It wasnt't the bright ink that I was looking for, but I loved how Red Dragon looked on ink swatches online. The color resembles that of dried blood, with shades of brown. Even though I appreciate the evil villain feel that the ink provides, I love its deep color for everyday writing.
I am very happy with Diamine Red Dragon and have it inked up daily. Dry time is adequate, but I would rate its feathering performance as "medium". Even though I rated feathering as "low" in my handwritten review, further use revealed that this ink performs worse than most of my other inks on cheaper papers. I typically use Red Dragon on student assignments printed on cheap copy paper, and it feathers badly. Plan to use this ink with a nicer pad of paper. Despite the fact that this is not the perfect grading ink that I've been looking for, Diamine Red Dragon's deep color is too beautiful to let go of for now. If you know of any similar inks that perform well on cheap paper, please leave a comment below!
