J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage Ink Review

Three weeks ago, I reviewed a lovely green ink from J. Herbin called Vert Réséda. I called it a light-medium green and said I would likely try out more green inks. Well, I did, and I don't think I'm done yet.

This time around, it's the J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage that caught my eye. Ever since JetPens started carrying the adorable little 10ml bottles of J. Herbin ink, I've been looking for excuses to buy some. I guess other people felt the same way, because they sold out fast. Finally, I got mine after stock returned. First up is my second green ink, and I'm pretty sure I like it better than the first.

Where Vert Réséda was a light, medium green, Lierre Sauvage is a darker green that reminds me of ferns and moss. It's a forest green, and I love it. It looks fantastic on paper and has more shading qualities than the former. This ink is what I think of as a true green. The Vert ink had a bit of aqua blue coloring, which pushed it slightly toward the turquoise range. It's a beautiful ink, but not quite what I had in mind for a standard green. You can never really tell what you'll actually get when looking at ink samples online, but I'm very happy so far with the Lierre Sauvage.

This ink is exactly what I expect from J. Herbin at this point: very well-behaved. It's worked flawlessly in both pens I've tested it in. One of the pens is a bit dry, while the other is normal. It's a lubricated ink that has no problems starting or keeping up with hasty writing, and it also does not dry or clog the nib after being uncapped for a couple of minutes.

It's a medium saturation and does have some mild shading properties. I've noticed that the shading comes out more on bright paper compared to ivory or cream paper. Dry time isn't fantastic, but it's not terrible either. It normally takes about 15 or 20 seconds to be smudge-proof.

Sadly, it doesn't shade as much as I'd like for a green. I'm still on the lookout for a beautiful green that shades easily, so let me know if you have one in mind.

Like the other J. Herbin green, this ink cleans out of pens very easily. Also, this new sample bottle size from J. Herbin is fantastic. I love the size, although it might be a problem for larger pens. The Lamy Safari and Al Star I used barely fit deep enough to draw ink up. That's something to consider when purchasing these bottles.

Overall, Lierre Sauvage is now my favorite green ink, but I'm still looking for more. It's a beautiful, well-behaved ink that lays down a gorgeous line. If you're in the market for a green ink, I think you should start with this one.

(You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution, Twitter, and App.net.)

The Pen Addict Podcast: Episode 118 - CGI Hand

It was story time on the podcast, as I tell the tale of my recent purchase of not one, but two, really nice fountain pens. Yes, I can admit that I have a problem. We also locate Myke's lost fountain pen, talk about the new Hobonichi 2015 lineup, and bang on our favorite whipping boy, the Scribble Pen.

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

Pen Chalet use the code PENADDICT to save 10% on your order or click the ‘podcast’ link at the top of the website and enter the password 'penaddict' for even more savings, as well as your 10% off.

Squarespace (use code INK for 10% off)

Igloo: An intranet you'll actually like, free for up to 10 people.

Pentel Orenz 0.2 mm Mechanical Pencil Review

When mechanical pencil leads get under 0.5 mm the chance of breaking the lead when writing increases greatly. I think 0.5 mm is the sweet spot, but I will use an 0.3 mm pencil from time to time, knowing that it might cause frustration. 0.2 mm seems like a pipe dream, but the Pentel Orenz introduces a new feature to help prevent breakage that actually works.

With the Orenz, Pentel has created a lead guide pipe that fully protects the lead and has a rounded edge so you can write without the tip scratching or catching on the paper. This sounds like it wouldn't work, but I am here to say it works exactly as advertised.

Like the Uni-ball Kuru Toga before it, I didn't have high hopes for the Orenz. The Kuru Toga introduced legitimate technology that changed the way we write with pencils, and while I won't go that far with the Orenz, it absolutely fixes the lead breakage problem that keeps 0.2 mm from regular use.

In my time with the pencil I never once broke the lead. Not a single time. I was worried more about the smoothness than breakage to be honest, and that turned out to be a non-issue as well. No matter how low of an angle I wrote at the 0.2 mm lead just kept on writing.

Aside from the unique lead protection mechanism, the guide pipe is fully retractable, another feature in the plus column. The plastic barrel is lightweight and features the stock small Pentel eraser, both of which are similar to Pentel's famous Sharp drafting pencil line.

The Pentel Orenz is a good pencil, and may be a game changer for those who need 0.2 mm lead. You can pick one up at JetPens for $8.50.

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