Pens, paper, inks and stationary |OT| Don’t call us, we write you!

[7threst]

Hi there, not sure if there is an audience here for a thread like this, but here we can discuss everything where writing is concerned! Be is (fountain)pens, paper, all kind of inks and other stationary.

Show of your newly acquired goods, let us know if there is a new pen announced, show us your wonderfull caligraphy or ask questions if you are wondering about something!

And of course, all are welcome. No fountain pen snobbery here (yes, that is a thing). You like ballpoints? Welcome! Pencils? Welcome! You hate to write? Err, welcome of course, but not sure why you are here though lol.

A quick FAQ (that maybe gets updates or not if there is interest for a topic like this)

So, why write by hand in this digital age?

It’s different fopr all kinds of people. Some just love to keep journals or to do lists. Others love the tactile feeling of paper and ink. Still others use note taking to another level with whole colour coded systems. Above all: it’s fun!

So, fountain pens, tell me more…

In my country (Netherlands) children used to learn writing by use of fountain pens. That isn’t the case here anymore as I can imagine isn’t really the case anywhere in the world. It is now considered a luxury good in the same vein as watches. That doesn’t mean there aren’t a lot of nice looking pens for starts. Take a look at this video (Brian Goulet's, biggest US fountain pen retailer online, videos are always great, take a dive in his upload history):


Paper is just paper right?

No, sorry. Paper comes in all kinds of different sizes, shapes and ways of manufacturing. I personally prefer Tomoe River Paper since it is light, gives little feedback and is very fountain pen friendly. Take a look at this video:


Stationary are just forgettable utils right?

No. No no no no NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! (sorry!)

Here you go:

 

[7threst]

Let me post my latest haul!

First, got my planner for next year in. I always get a Hobonichi Techo together with a cover. This year I got the new Mother 2-cover. I always buy at least one Mother cover every year when I order my Hobonichi and also this one doesn't disappoint:

Then, I also got some ink in and a new pen. The ink is Aurora Brown, a beautiful shading brown ink. The pen is a Kaweco Dia II with a double broad nib. I LOVE the sober and classic design of this pen and I always wanted a pen with a double broad nib. It's perfect:

 

[Shadow]

I'll admit, I have nothing with pens and what not. But that little Mother case!

 

[Sadist]

Sophisticated as fudge my man

 

[7threst]

I'll admit, I have nothing with pens and what not. But that little Mother case!

I even have more lol! But Hobonichi is of Mother creator's Shigesato Itoi's company. Go hereeeeee: https://www.1101.com/store/techo/en/

 

[listeningarden]

new hobonichi season is still an Event for me even though i haven't bought any new pens, ink or paper in years. covers have that perfect range of fashion statement to useful accessory, and always enjoy getting a look at the new minä perhonen & other designer covers that use soft materials and textiles.

how's the paper on your hobonichi?? last i heard there was quite the scandal as tomoe river changed production equipment and the paper wasn't as fountain pen friendly as it used to be. wasn't sure if hobonichi still swore by that paper or if there was a different one people were sourcing for notebooks now.

really need to get myself to write with my fountain pens again. they've been tucked away in a desk in a little felt carry pouch (fittingly, the old club nintendo reversible mario pouches!) since probably 2017-2018. at least get a little bit further into the bottles of kyoto tag ink that haven't moved off of my desk since then.

 

[A. G. Cook]

I got into Hobonichi in 2016, did it for a few years and then dropped off. I ordered a new book and got a bunch of stationary this year. Haven't kept up with it, but I do stuff here and there. A few pics of my loot from January and some pages of my 2021 book.

 

[1upmuffin]

I got into Hobonichi in 2016, did it for a few years and then dropped off. I ordered a new book and got a bunch of stationary this year. Haven't kept up with it, but I do stuff here and there. A few pics of my loot from January and some pages of my 2021 book.

I have the same Earthbound cover but my book is so much less pretty lol. I try to keep up with what I had for dinner and small notes of the day if I can.

My pens of choice recently have been my Hi-Tecpoint V5 liquid ink one, and my Kakuno. I should do another Jetpens order soon. I really want the new Animal Crossing Hobonichi, but they are expensive and I have a cool cover already.

 

[A. G. Cook]

I have the same Earthbound cover but my book is so much less pretty lol. I try to keep up with what I had for dinner and small notes of the day if I can.

My pens of choice recently have been my Hi-Tecpoint V5 liquid ink one, and my Kakuno. I should do another Jetpens order soon. I really want the new Animal Crossing Hobonichi, but they are expensive and I have a cool cover already.

I also wanted to get the Animal Crossing covers but it can be an expensive slippery slope, so I held off.

 

[7threst]

new hobonichi season is still an Event for me even though i haven't bought any new pens, ink or paper in years. covers have that perfect range of fashion statement to useful accessory, and always enjoy getting a look at the new minä perhonen & other designer covers that use soft materials and textiles.

how's the paper on your hobonichi?? last i heard there was quite the scandal as tomoe river changed production equipment and the paper wasn't as fountain pen friendly as it used to be. wasn't sure if hobonichi still swore by that paper or if there was a different one people were sourcing for notebooks now.

really need to get myself to write with my fountain pens again. they've been tucked away in a desk in a little felt carry pouch (fittingly, the old club nintendo reversible mario pouches!) since probably 2017-2018. at least get a little bit further into the bottles of kyoto tag ink that haven't moved off of my desk since then.

What I've tries, the new Hobonichi is fine even if it is the new batch of Tomoe River Paper. Really, maybe it gives a little bit more tooth when writing, but it is nothing to worry about. What is though, that I heard Tomoegawa will cease to produce Tomoe River Paper. Not sure if there is any truth to it, but I heard the Goulet Pen Cast talk about it. Would be a shame if that is really true. Not sure if there is something comparable to the quality paper from Tomoegawa.

I got into Hobonichi in 2016, did it for a few years and then dropped off. I ordered a new book and got a bunch of stationary this year. Haven't kept up with it, but I do stuff here and there. A few pics of my loot from January and some pages of my 2021 book.

Man, that looks soooo pretty! I love the way you design these pages! Mine look so messy compared to yours lol!

I have the same Earthbound cover but my book is so much less pretty lol. I try to keep up with what I had for dinner and small notes of the day if I can.

My pens of choice recently have been my Hi-Tecpoint V5 liquid ink one, and my Kakuno. I should do another Jetpens order soon. I really want the new Animal Crossing Hobonichi, but they are expensive and I have a cool cover already.

Are the Hi-Tecpoint vpens those technical pens but for consumer use? Because I've been eyeing them for daily note taking and scribbles.

 

[AliceAbstract]

I was also big into Hobonichi techo for a couple of years, but I switched back to digital journaling because my handwritten wpm count wasn't high enough for all the stream of consciousness writing I did. (That Tomoe River paper is the greatest thing, though.)

...Also, I could never design pages as artistic looking as A.G. Cook's! Oh my gosh, those are so great!

I have been using G pen tips and traditional inks for drawing though, especially now that we're in October, the unofficial month of drawing stuff in ink. The amount of control you have is wild. It actually feels better than a tablet. (If only real life had layers and an undo button...)

 

[7threst]

I also wanted to get the Animal Crossing covers but it can be an expensive slippery slope, so I held off.

Man you are definitely right. These are my covers (A6 and A5), and I have no idea why I have so many but think they're all beautiful (but yeah, it's quite pricey). I should make a habit of changing them around more often on the books I use maybe.

 

[A. G. Cook]

Man you are definitely right. These are my covers (A6 and A5), and I have no idea why I have so many but think they're all beautiful (but yeah, it's quite pricey). I should make a habit of changing them around more often on the books I use maybe.

Wow, that's a lot of covers! I love the Mother 2 Xmas one.

 

[7threst]

Wow, that's a lot of covers! I love the Mother 2 Xmas one.

Hah, that cover is actually my favourite one! I'm still a little bit pissed the Astoboy Hoboniche weeks edition didn't translate into an A6/A5 cover. I love that one so much I bought it even though I don't even use it that much. I just know it would do great as a Techo-cover:

 

[7threst]

So tried to create some sort of Gargoyle's Quest spread with using a monograph heated pocketprinter in order to get some sort of Gameboy aesthetic going, painfully realizing this is probabl;y the height of my creativity when it comes to creating interesting spreads in my journals lmao

 

[CloverNotes]

So tried to create some sort of Gargoyle's Quest spread with using a monograph heated pocketprinter in order to get some sort of Gameboy aesthetic going, painfully realizing this is probabl;y the height of my creativity when it comes to creating interesting spreads in my journals lmao

It looks really good! Better than my lack of creativity for anything journal related.

 

[A. G. Cook]

So tried to create some sort of Gargoyle's Quest spread with using a monograph heated pocketprinter in order to get some sort of Gameboy aesthetic going, painfully realizing this is probabl;y the height of my creativity when it comes to creating interesting spreads in my journals lmao

That's really neat, love the aesthetic. Haven't seen anyone do anything quite like this with the Gameboy theme. Awesome!

 

[7threst]

Next weekend is the Dutch Pen Show in Utrecht. It'll be my first proper pen show and I'm super excited! Anybody here ever went to a pen show and give me some tips & tricks and things to do/not do?

It looks really good! Better than my lack of creativity for anything journal related.

That's really neat, love the aesthetic. Haven't seen anyone do anything quite like this with the Gameboy theme. Awesome!

Man, I really appreciate this! I really lack the talent of making beautiful spreads so this is so cool!

 

[Oscillator]

I'm not into calligraphy (or any kind of decorative writing, for that matter), but I do love fiber-tipped pens. The most well-rounded one I've ever used - smooth but not slippery, doesn't bleed, line not too thin or too thick, colour bright but not blazing, lovely to hold, effortless cap - is Le Pen by Marvy Uchida.

 

[7threst]

Just got back from the Dutch Pen Show. Man, that was awesome! Too bad I can't afoord every pen I want lmao.

Anway, here is a pic from some swag I got, including a Kaweco fountain pen with medium nib, and a Galen Leather 3-pen case I bought:

I'm not into calligraphy (or any kind of decorative writing, for that matter), but I do love fiber-tipped pens. The most well-rounded one I've ever used - smooth but not slippery, doesn't bleed, line not too thin or too thick, colour bright but not blazing, lovely to hold, effortless cap - is Le Pen by Marvy Uchida.

I'm definitely check these out. They sound great for cool urban art sketches!

 

[heavy liquid]

Hey 7threst, I think I remember your pens/paper/inks/stationary threads from the other place, it's nice to see it here! I always liked perusing everything.

I recently picked up some Blackwing notebooks that were on clearance on their website. These are the older versions of the notebooks, they recently came out with newer versions and placed the old ones on clearance. I went to go buy some more, but they marked the prices back up, which is a bummer, so no sense in buying the older versions now unless you want them for some reason.

Mine are all blank for drawing and sketching, but they do also offer lined and grid paper. I find their books to be high quality and right up there with Moleskin. Quite nice. The smaller book comes with a elastic loop on the spine to hold your writing utensil and comes "loaded" with one of their Blackwing pencils. I also picked up their longpoint metal canister pencil sharper.

 

[7threst]

Hey 7threst, I think I remember your pens/paper/inks/stationary threads from the other place, it's nice to see it here! I always liked perusing everything.

I recently picked up some Blackwing notebooks that were on clearance on their website. These are the older versions of the notebooks, they recently came out with newer versions and placed the old ones on clearance. I went to go buy some more, but they marked the prices back up, which is a bummer, so no sense in buying the older versions now unless you want them for some reason.

Mine are all blank for drawing and sketching, but they do also offer lined and grid paper. I find their books to be high quality and right up there with Moleskin. Quite nice. The smaller book comes with a elastic loop on the spine to hold your writing utensil and comes "loaded" with one of their Blackwing pencils. I also picked up their longpoint metal canister pencil sharper.

Haha, yes, I used to constantly bump the fountain pen thread on ERA with updates, but they keep me banned there even though I should've only banned for two weeks (which is almost 5 weeks ago). So I obviously can't post over there anymore. Don't know why the mods and admins there keep ignoring my messages, but I miss my pen friends

But I've never heard of Blackwing before. These books look really interesting. Next to my Hobonichi addiction I do try to explore other brands like Leuchturm and Endless (recommended!). Still want to try and support https://www.musu.bi, their notebooks are beautiful and come from a good place. But Blackwing is definitely on my list now.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on using that book.

 

[heavy liquid]

Haha, yes, I used to constantly bump the fountain pen thread on ERA with updates, but they keep me banned there even though I should've only banned for two weeks (which is almost 5 weeks ago). So I obviously can't post over there anymore. Don't know why the mods and admins there keep ignoring my messages, but I miss my pen friends

But I've never heard of Blackwing before. These books look really interesting. Next to my Hobonichi addiction I do try to explore other brands like Leuchturm and Endless (recommended!). Still want to try and support https://www.musu.bi, their notebooks are beautiful and come from a good place. But Blackwing is definitely on my list now.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on using that book.

Ugh, it's a shame about ERA, but whatever.

Yes, you may want to try out a Blackwing notebook, I've been using them for quite a while now. I mostly use them for pencil sketches and drawings, and also a few pen and ink sketches. For those I usually use a Pentel fude brush pen and a Pentel pocket brush pen. The paper is nice and thick, 100 GSM ivory paper that doesn't bleed through, thankfully. They have nice sewn bindings. Blackwing is known for their quality pencils, and I don't think they have any ink pens.

This is a good review of their small slate book, the same one that also convinced me to give their notebooks a shot.