Do brush pens bring out your artistic side? They have to, right? They are some of the most expressive pens you can buy and are flat out fun to use, even if you are not artistically inclined like me. Hopefully our giveaway winner can put them to good use:
Congratulations Cassandra! Get in touch via the Contact Page and I will get the pens headed your way. You have one week to claim your prize.
Thanks to everyone who entered and thanks to JetPens for providing great products!
If Iroshizuku Kon-peki is my favorite blue ink, then J. Herbin Éclat de Saphir is my close second.
Éclat de Saphir is a gorgeous, vibrant blue ink with lots of character and depth. I love how it pops off the page when I’m writing and even after it’s dried. I'm very pleased when inks retain the same level of saturation when they dry as when the ink is wet, and this ink is no exception.
Before I dive into the detailed notes, I do have some general comments about this ink. I love the color and shading qualities of this ink, but you really need to try it in a fine or larger nib (or medium and larger for Japanese nibs) to get the full effect. After playing with this ink for a while, I really want a stub nib. Secondly, many reviews I've seen on this ink praise its fast-drying property, as well as many other J. Herbin inks. This has not been the case for me with this ink. I don't know if I'm doing something wrong or if I'm just using wet nibs on heavy paper, but I would not say it's fast to dry. In my tests, it took about 20 seconds to dry to a point where it would not smudge when I brushed my finger across it. With that being said, it's still an excellent ink that I highly recommend.
This is one of the most well-behaved and easy to maintain inks I've tried. I currently only have cartridges, but will buy a bottle very soon so as to use it in even more pens. It's extremely easy to clean out of pens and washes off my fingers easily.
My favorite quality of this ink is the color. It's a medium to dark blue, very similar to what I think of as "royal" blue. It's nice and saturated, which is something I long for in inks. It has good lubrication and excellent flow in the handful of pens I've used so far.
On nice paper, this ink does not feather or show through the page. Sure, it does feather on cheap paper, but what ink doesn't?
The shading properties are fantastic. Again, I see a stub nib in my near future just so I can play with this beautiful ink some more.
Overall, this is one of my favorite inks and I can't wait to introduce it to more of my pens. Aside from my quibble with the drying time, it's close to a perfect ink for me. I'd like to hear from you if you have some information about the drying time or have advice on performing ink drying tests. Next time you're looking for a nice blue ink to try, grab some Éclat de Saphir.
(You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution, Twitter, and App.net.)
Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto N 3 (Image via JetPens)
The Pilot Hi-Tec-C has long been a favorite of mine and to this day remains the best multi pen on the market. While the refills have remained unchanged over the years, Pilot introduces new barrels to the lineup regularly. This time around it is the Coleto N 3 and N 4.
Coleto barrel designs haven't changed too much over time - a new body finish here, a rubber grip there - but the N models have a small design tweak that was needed. The flip-top cap where you refill the pen has always used a flat design with a small tab you had to get under and snap up. It worked, but a fingernail or two have been lost to the cause along the way. The N model uses a larger cone shape which allows you to use your thumb pad for an easier opening experience. Sometimes it's the little things.
Old (top) vs. New
And little things is all the Coleto needs. The rest of the N model has been done before, especially with the clear, smooth grip section. Somehow it isn't slick, so keeping your grip steady is not a problem.
What makes the Coleto so great are the Pilot Hi-Tec-C refills, which haven't changed a bit. I tend to lean towards the three cartridge barrels because I am locked in on what refills I want to load up: Blue Black, Clear Blue, and Apricot Orange, all 0.4 mm. These three colors give me the range I want while having fun at the same time. Adding in a fourth color confuses my brain. I can never settle on what combo works best so I stick with what I know.
The Coleto N 3 is one of the least expensive barrel options in the line at $2.50 from JetPens. I like it as much as the base model with grip and is more solid than the Smart model. Of the higher end barrels I prefer the Me over the twice as expensive Lumio, and it's not close.
One of the base models is all you need to get started with the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto Multi Pen Line, and the new N model is a good one.
Do you have a favorite Coleto barrel? And what inks do you load it up with?
(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)
