Ink Links

-- Writing Implements. Rabbit's Foot. And a China Monkey.  (Palimpsest)

-- Rhodia 2010 Weekly Planner Giveaway #2  (Journaling Arts)

-- The Quo Vadis Habana Notebook  (Unposted)

-- My new favorite pen (for today...)  (The Blah, Blah, Blahg...)

-- Zebra Sharbo X Carbon Fiber Multi Pen  (Office Supply Geek)

-- Letts A6 Principal daily diary  (Plannerisms)

-- A Graf von Faber-Castell variant  (Pencil Talk)

-- The Sixth Carnival of Pen, Pencil and Paper  (Journaling Arts)

-- Lamy Design - From the Hammock  (Dave's Mechanical Pencils)

-- Doane Paper on the Bonobos blog  (Doane Paprer Feed)

-- MOLESKINE Passions Journals Revealed, Exhibition in 2010  (Scription)

-- Rhodia Stapled Notepad Pimped  (Trains, Pens, and Planners)

-- Featured Pen - Sheaffer Statesman Snorkel  (Whatever)

-- Staples Xeno Pen Hack  (Pocket Blonde)

-- Review: Diamine Brilliant Red Fountain Pen Ink  (Spiritual Evolution of the Bean)

-- The Pen That I Love  (Alsia Bonsignore)

-- User Review: CopyGuru on the New Rhodia Planner  (Rhodia Drive)

-- Which Pens Survived?  (Potentially Percipicacious)

-- the world is turning  (Andrea Joseph's Sketchblog)

-- John has successfully hacked the Zebra F-701  (The Pen Addict - comments section)

Zebra Sharbo X Ink Samples

I was recently asked on Twitter by @dcernosek about the Zebra Sharbo X ink colors that I have, so I wrote a few lines on the page at left.  I have been using the black/mandarin orange combo in one of my Sharbos, and royal blue/carmine red in the other.  I also just received the limited edition cool gray and violet refills from JetPens, which are very nice as well.  The violet is especially dark, reminding me of the Uni-Ball Signo RT lavender black ink that is one of my favorites.

I'm not completely satisfied with how my photography/editing skills are representing the colors, so I may try to post some color swatches if I get the chance later today.  You can see them pretty well in the XL version of the photo though.

Review: Morning Glory Mach Pen II 0.4mm Violet

The Morning Glory Mach Pen II is a relatively new addition to the JetPens lineup in the past couple of months.  Aside from a very nice price point ($1.55 each), the Mach Pen II boasts that it can write over 5000 meters on one tank of ink.  I don't know anyone who has the time to fully test out that claim - I sure don't - but I did put this pen through the regular paces and it performed very nicely.

In looking at the pen, the comparisons to the Pilot Precise V5 are apt.  The overall design and feel are similar between the two, with a few minor cosmetics being the main difference.  From a writing perspective, the Mach Pen II held its own.  I feel that it is slightly scratchier than the V5, and may have a little more bleed, but both of those things are very marginal.  There were no huge setbacks with this pen that would keep me from using it.  The violet color came out deeper in the photo than I experienced when writing.  I felt that the shade was a little light, but good enough.

My blogging buddies Office Supply Geek and Lung Sketching Scrolls have also reviewed the Mach Pen II, so be sure to check them out.

Click here for the XL review.