The Pen Addict Podcast: Episode 136 - Have You Seen This Pen?

That Myke. He just can't keep his pen in his pocket. No telling where he put it. Can anyone help Myke find his lost INK?

I can't give him a hard time without getting a bit of my own medicine. I apparently ignored him last week concerning the Field Notes Roastery Edition, so I had my own "OMG ORANGE DOTS!" moment this episode. Sorry for tuning you out mate.

We also chat a bit on handwriting and wonder if anyone will ever find out just where those darn new Esterbrook Pens are manufactured.

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

Hover: Simplified Domain Management. Use code 'SPACECREDITS' for 10% off your first purchase.

Harry's: An exceptional shave at a fraction of the price. Use code PENADDICT for $5 off your first purchase

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.

Kick Off The New Year With ArtSnacks (Sponsor)

One of my New Years Resolutions is to draw more and I can't imagine a better company than ArtSnacks to help with that.

Each month, ArtSnacks curates a box of art supplies that function well together and sends them right to your doorstep. For example, December's box contained a set of six drawing pencils of different lead grades from Pentalic, a kneadable eraser by Faber Castell, a Posca Paint Marker by Uni, and an Illustration Marker by Prismacolor.

All of these high quality items come wrapped in a neat package, so opening it is a surprise every month. ArtSnacks also includes fun add-ons like stickers and candy in each box.

ArtSnacks has several different plans to choose from, starting at $20 per month with price breaks for both the 6-month and 12-month plan. They also ship internationally, so don't hesitate to jump right in and kick off a very creative 2015!

My thanks to ArtSnacks for sponsoring The Pen Addict this week.

Pelikan Twist Fountain Pen Review

There is something about fountain pens for beginners that I love. Generally, they come in cool colors, or funky designs. All have some type of molded grip to help you with the proper finger placement. And, almost without fail, the nibs prove to be excellent writers.

It makes me wonder sometimes why I spend hundreds of dollars on fountain pens given how well some of these entry level pens write.

The Pelikan Twist is clearly marketed towards children for their first fountain pen. The colors are bright, the grip is very well definied, it is a simple cartridge filler, and the plastic barrel is going to be able to handle getting beat up. Plus, it just flat-out looks cool. I can see kids enjoying learning the proper way to write with this pen.

Being a big kid myself, I found I enjoyed using it. The medium nib is dead smooth, and the output is clean with the provided Pelikan Royal Blue ink cartridge (it takes short and standard international.)

The one consideration for those who want to add this pen to their arsenal is how extreme the grip section really is. I have a traditional grip so I never mind molded grips, but there is no play with this one. The edges between each side of the section are sharp, locking you in to the preferred grip at all times. The Pilot Kakuno is much more subtle, and even the Lamy Safari feels tame in comparison.

Don't let that scare you away though. Learn how to grip a pen the right way! If nothing else, kids will appreciate how cool and fun this pen is to use, and they won't even know that you are creating muscle memory that will last them a lifetime.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)