Inviting ink samples to the party
Back in the saddle again. And with a fresh collection of six pen and ink combinations. Change is fun.
I anticipate a week of contrasts. Four days will be spent at home. I get to work on my own personal projects — and reading for my new history unit.
Then I’ll be on the road for three days visiting my sister. I get to meet my new nephew for the first time! He was born during our lockdown.
For fun, I limited my ink selections to samples only. One very dark blue-black, two blues, a purple, one green, and one orange ink.
My sample of Apache Sunset kicked. It was part of my first-ever ink sample purchase in 2016. Sunset will be missed.
I enjoy finishing projects. A perk of using sample vials is that they can be emptied in three or four fills. Unless your friends fill the whole tube.
Only three nibs are F or narrower. I expect to mostly journal and slowly record reading notes. Slower writing comfortably suits broader nibs. Especially on ink resistant paper like Tomoe River.
Grey/Black
Platinum 3776 Star Wars Kylo Ren (F). Ink Institute Cat at Midnight. My main task management and bullet journaling pairing. While the other pens will swap in and out while taking reading notes, this pen and ink combo will record direct quotes for each passage I add to my commonplace notebook. Daily driver. Task management, reading notes (quotes), bullet journal (structure).
Blue/Teal
Pilot Custom Heritage 912 (SF). Akkerman Dutch Masters Vermeer’s Kobaltblauw. The soft nib produces a smooth, enjoyable writing experience — even with my firm hand. Akkerman is shades well, even in Pilot’s narrow F line width. Vermeer may be too dark to contrast easily against Cat at Midnight. So, the combo is best-suited to journaling and other long writing tasks. Journaling, bullet journal.
Lamy Safari Blue Macaron (B). Ferris Wheel Press Bluegrass Velvet. This week’s pocket carry. I’m comfortable toting the Safari around in my pocket due to its relatively low price point. The B nib may lead Velvet to feather and bleed on Field Notes paper. The combo will introduce subtle sheen and fun shading on Tome River though. Journaling, pocket notes, reading notes (reflections), bullet journal.
Earth Tones
Sailor Pro Gear Slate (Z Architect, by Custom Nib Studio). Colorverse Brane. Exciting, bold shading from the architect side of the Pro Gear’s nib. Brane is just wet enough to coax smooth EF writing from the nib’s reverse grind. Combined, I have a detailed, if dry, notetaker and a fun broad journaler. Journaling, reading notes (reflections), bullet journal, letter writing.
Faber-Castell Ondoro White (M). Noodler’s Apache Sunset. This particular M nib is one of my smoothest writers. The Faber-Castell’s feed is fairly stingy. Together, the Ondoro effectively tames unpredictable inks. Sunset shades beautifully, but suffers from long dry times on Tomoe River. That feed should prove clutch while journaling and making reading notes.
Wild Cards
Franklin-Christoph 46 Philly ‘20 (M SIG, by Franklin-Christoph). Jacques Herbin 1798 Amethyste de L’Oural. The secure seal between converter and nib, tight-fitting cap threads, and wet M nib make this pen a strong choice for shimmer ink. These characteristics minimize evaporation, and so decrease the likelihood of mid-week clogging issues. Fun shimmer will ensure journaling is fun. Excellent purple will contrast Cat at Midnight well for reading notes. Journaling, reading notes (reflections), bullet journal, letter writing.
