Ink Links

-- Zen in red (And All Other Tasks)

-- De Atramentis Jeanne d'Arc (East...West...Everywhere)

-- A Nice Write Up in Design World Magazine! (Edison Pen Company)

-- Franklin-Christoph Dark Denim (Inkdependence!)

-- Three Stephens' Inks or Concentrate wins the day (Palimpsest)

-- Stipula Twister Ti Demonstrator (Silent Seeing)

-- TWSBI Micarta V2 review (Fountain Pen Day)

-- Exacompta FAF Pad – Retro Desk Pad (OfficeSupplyGeek)

-- Review: Onion Skin Paper (Gourmet Pens)

-- Moleskine Better Have Some Thick Skin (Brand New)

-- Graffiti diary in Hobonichi Planner (Notebookers.jp)

-- Montblanc Noblesse Slimline (Goodwriterspens's Blog)

-- Crónicas Estilográficas (Pilot Inks at Flea Markets)

-- Diamine Music Inks (Pens Paper Inks...Whatever!)

-- Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-Budo (Ed Jelley)

-- Pilot Down Force (The Clicky Post)

-- At Work With Aaron Draplin (A Continuous Lean.)

-- Luke Shuman (What Do You Carry)

-- Pelikan – Brilliant Black (Informal Scribble)

-- Just a Bad Batch (Notebook Stories)

-- A pen with a sea of clouds (Leigh Reyes)

-- Pilot Custom 823 Fountain Pen Review (Write to Me Often)

-- Pilot Elite95S (2013) (kmpn)

-- Tale of a Vandal Notebook User: Going Indie, Part 2 (Peaceable Writer)

-- Invincia Stylus (Ionsomnia)

-- Chronodex July - December 2013 Weekly Diary Free Download Released (Scription)

Scribal Workshop Cryptid Siren Blue Ink Review

I had only heard about Scribal Workshop inks in passing before running into several bottles for sale by Anderson Pens at the Atlanta Pen Show. My blue ink radar went off, and I came home with a bottle of Cryptid Siren Blue.

Scribal is a family run business with ink being made by "Scribe and Chemist" Lucas Tucker. Along with the Cryptid line of inks, Scribal produces Bunny Washable Inks and Historic Inks, which is their iron gall line. Cryptid is essentially the standard fountain pen ink line, so that seemed like a good starting point.

The Siren Blue is a fantastic shade of blue - one of my favorites in fact. It leans on the darkish side of the spectrum with hints of black, grey, and even a touch of green. There is a moderate amount of shading and the dry time would fall into the "fast" category. And that may be an issue.

My nib would dry out almost as fast as the ink did on the paper. If I paused for a few seconds I would have a hard start, even with the 1.5 mm TWSBI stub used in the review. I loaded it up in my EF nib Vanishing Point and had the same issue. It frustrated me enough to where I had to clean it out. I could see this being a feature for artists and sketchers who like a dry, controllable line, but I need a little more smoothness for writing.

I'm going to keep trying it in different pens until I find a good match because the color is excellent. I can even get past the oregano-ish scent from the bottle if it were just a bit more lubricated.

Brian Goulet reviews the entire line of Cryptid Inks at Ink Nouveau. Has anyone else tested out ink from Scribal Workshop?

Kokuyo Enpitsu 1.3 mm Mechanical Pencil Review

Stepping out of my comfort zone is part of the deal when reviewing products here at The Pen Addict. There are so many products on the market and only a subset of them make my regular rotation. That doesn't mean the rest of the goods don't warrant any attention though. Products like the Kokuyo Enpitsu are exactly why I write this blog.

By all appearances the Enpitsu is a simple pencil but it has a couple of added features that set it apart. First of all, the lead pipe retracts for protection when not in use. This is always a welcome feature in mechanical pencils to help prevent damage if dropped, or to prevent stabbing yourself if you get a little clumsy.

Secondly - and I'm not sure how I feel about this - the cap is fixed with a hole on top to insert lead through (I discount the fact there is no eraser. I assume most serious pencil users have seperate erasers anyway.). This sounds like a good idea in priciple and assumedly in practice too. It saves you from removing the cap and losing it while allowing you to drop the lead straight in (Forgive my ignorance in the image above. It was late.). I'm not sure of any other pencils designed this way.

Design wise, the rubber coated barrel provides an excellent grip surface, and the overall look of the pencil is great. The 1.3 mm lead was a pleasant surprise too. It was soft, dark, and smooth.

While I'm not a prime candidate to put this pencil through the rigors of everyday use, I see artists, sketchers, and even students as a good fit for the Kokuyo Enpitsu. It is comfortable, built well, and appears ready to handle anything you can throw at it.

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)