The Pen Addict Podcast: Episode 230 - The Cover Is Marbled

I have 99 pens but I can't find the one

I have opinions on composition books, and I let them known in this episode. Myke and I also dig into the new Baron Fig subscription service, moving Myke’s Field Notes, and the most expensive pen I’ve bought to date. It’s a great one!

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

Pen Chalet: Click the ‘podcast’ link at the top of the website and enter the password ‘penaddict’ for this week’s special offer, and to get your code for 10% off. Squarespace: Enter offer code INK at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Dudek Modern Goods: Modern inspired, handmade pen stands. Use the code PENADDICT for 10% off in November.

Nomadic BC-51 Biz Comp Brief Tote Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

In my quest for the perfect bag, the most common criticism I have is "not enough pockets", so when I saw the plethora of pockets on the Nomadic Biz Comp Brief Tote, I swooned a little. The product description says 8 pockets, but if you count the interior and side pockets, it's actually fourteen. FOURTEEN.

On the front of the bag, there are four zippered pockets. The bottom two are deeper and easily fit smaller notebooks or planners, pen cases, or even small tablets. The top two are more shallow, but easily fit several pocket notebooks, or phones, keys, or a wallet.

On either end of the bag are tall, narrow zipper pockets treated with polyurethane. These are perfect for a small water bottle and umbrella--or, if you go the diaper bag route, they're great for bottles or sippy cups. They're waterproof and isolated from the other compartments, so no condensation or spills reach your other items.

The top of the bag is also polyurethane. Set into the top edge are two small zip pockets. They're just deep enough for a pocket notebook, phone, iPod, or wallet. They're very handy for anything you might need to grab quickly. Between these small pockets is the main compartment. It is one large space with no internal pockets. It's large enough to fit a 14" laptop, plus a few A4 notebooks or a textbook.

On the back of the bag is another zip compartment big enough for file papers or more notebooks, and inside that are four pockets in a stretchy padded foam. They're all different widths, from narrow enough to hold a few pens to wide enough for a pocket notebook. (I'm uncertain at this point if "pocket notebook" is my new favorite unit of measurement, or if this bag was just made for pocket notebook fanatics. Possibly both.) There are no individual pen pockets, so if your pens can't touch, you'll need to use one of the other pockets for a pen case.

So, four on the front, plus two top, plus one main, plus two sides, plus one back, plus four interior equals fourteen. You know what? This bag has enough pockets. It's the ultimate notebook vehicle. Maybe even the notebook clown car.

The materials are good--sturdy and practical. The Cordura nylon may outlive us all. I'm unsure about the longevity of the polyurethane--I've had similar materials crack or tear on other bags. The rest of it is so well made that I wonder if including this material, as useful as it is, shortens the lifespan of the bag. Only time will tell, there. Alas, the materials only come in boring (though nice) colors: navy, wine, and black.

The zippers (of which there are ten, guys, TEN--and not a scrap of horrible velcro anywhere) operate smoothly and come with nice cord-and-toggle pulls. The stitching is strong and even. The bottom of the bag is reinforced with rigid plastic and has five metal feet. The strap has swiveling clips that attach to plastic D-rings and can be removed if you want to carry the bag by the briefcase handles. The strap is adjustable and has a ventilated foam cushion.

Despite all these durable materials, the bag is surprisingly light. Until, that is, you fill all fourteen of those pockets. And that's where this bag stops being my daily carry. After a joyful pocket-filling frenzy, it's just to big and heavy for me to carry around all day. If it had backpack straps, or if it was slimmed down just a little--maybe scaled down to 12" laptop-size, that might do the trick. Or maybe you're not supposed to fill it with that many notebooks.

One of the ways I stay organized is by using a different notebook for each of my clients or projects. This gives me a practical excuse to buy all the notebooks, but it also means that I sometimes have a lot of them to carry around. I fit all my current projects, plus my laptop and an A4 Rhodia pad, plus a 200-page spiral bound manuscript into this bag, and I didn't even use any of the interior pockets or any of the top or side pockets. It's very rare that I run out of work before I run out of bag space. Not on a bag without wheels.

Even though I don't carry it every day, there are some things it's especially great for. -Day trips with the kids. This is the bag that will carry our adventure survival kit. It makes a phenomenal diaper bag, and diapers weigh less than notebooks. -Travel. With this many pockets, you'll know exactly where everything is, which will help minimize the blood loss to your brain as you spend less time painfully contorted, searching for your book mid-flight. -Work away from the office. I can fit everything I need for a full day's work in here. Several days, probably.

What I'm carrying instead: -Tom Bihn Co-Pilot. Smaller, still has lots of pockets (and pen pockets), and comes in fun colors. I carry this every day. -Topo Designs Mountain Briefcase. Slightly smaller, but with far fewer pockets. Some of the main compartment is taken up by a bag-in-bag so I can get the pocket organization I require. The main advantage to this one is the backpack straps.

Both of these, however, are considerably more expensive than the Nomadic. I'd put the Nomadic nearly in the same league as these bags, but at half the price. It can't boast the made-in-America provenance that the others can, but if you're looking for a great bag at a really good price, this one will delight you.

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

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Kaweco Supra Eco Brass Fountain Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

A while back, I purchased my first Kaweco Liliput. It was the Brass Wave model with an EF nib, and I immediately fell in love with the form factor. A little later, I also picked up a stainless steel version, which strengthened my affection for the little Liliputs even more.

Fast forward a bit to 2016, and we have the Kaweco Supra. The name caught my attention when the pen was first announced because the only Supra I'm familiar with was one that Toyota made back in the day. Let's just they don't have much in common at all.

The Kaweco Supra take the idea of the Liliput and adds a bit of size and flexibility. An all copper body? Check. Threaded rear for posting the cap securely? Check. Slim size and cigar-like shape? Yep. So what does the Supra have that you can't find in the Liliput? Several things.

Size

The Supra is quite a bit larger than the Liliput. When you compare the Supra with a brass Liliput, there's an entire ounce of difference. That's significant when comparing pens. The Supra is 5.1 inches when capped, and the Liliput is 3.8 inches. Both are pocketable, but the Supra has a more normal diameter compared to the Liliput. I've always felt that the Liliput isn't ideal for long writing sessions, but the Supra take care of that concern with no problems. This is a full size pen that still breaks down to a small, pocketable superstar of a pen.

Flexibility

The Supra has another trick up its sleeve, though. Unlike the Liliput, it has an additional section piece that can be removed to reduce the overall size and weight of the pen. The extra section is 3 cm long, which is about a quarter of the overall length. When you remove this extra section, the Supra really is a big brother to the Liliput. But, I love the flexibility that this additional piece offers. For one, you can store an extra short cartridge in the pen, or you can use a full-size converter with the extra space. It also changes the weight and feel of the pen depending on the configuration you're using. For me, I prefer to use the pen unposted when the extra section is installed, but I prefer to use it posted when the extra section is removed. You can certainly post the cap with the section installed, but that makes for a pretty long pen. For me, it threw the balance off too much.

I love the Supra for its flexibility and quirk. It can be a bit hefty since it's solid brass, but it's still a good weight for writing. Of course, the brass will take on a new personality fairly quickly after you start using it. In just three weeks of use, I have some patina starting to show on the more heavily used areas of the pen. Over time, it will develop into a duller, warmer finish.

Personally, I would love a stainless steel version of the Supra as well. It would be a tad lighter, but wouldn't develop a patina. I have a love-hate relationship with brass pens. On one hand, I love the unique and aged look they take on over time. On the other hand, I sometimes feel annoyed by the texture that the oxidation creates. It makes the pen feel dirty in some cases.

But, don't let that bother you. Cleaning off the patina is a simple matter of letting it soak in white vinegar for 15 minutes followed by some mild scrubbing. After that, it's shiny and new again.

Writing

By now, you know I'm a fan of the exterior of the Supra, but let's talk a bit about the important part — the nib.

The nib on the Supra is also a step up over the Liliput (and many other common Kaweco models). It uses a large #6 nib that fits perfectly on this pen. It makes a statement and plays well with the overall aesthetic of the pen. I love the large nib, and I'm also very happy to report that it's an excellent writer. I've had trouble with Kawecos needing minor (and not-so-minor adjustments) in the past, so it was a relief to find this one worked well straight away.

The nib is smooth and delivers ink with constant flow. It's a stainless steel nib, so there's not any flex to report. What I can say is that it's a sturdy, reliable, and enjoyable nib.

Again, depending on how you configure the Supra, it will feel different when writing because of the changes in weight and balance. I look at that as a benefit, but I'm sure others would disagree.

I've used this pen for a solid three weeks and have been very happy with it so far. It does very well for extended writing sessions, but also is the perfect size for going along for off-site adventures in your pocket or bag. The brass material also means you'll pick up dings and scratches that add more character to it over time.

Conclusion

Overall, I'm really happy with this pen. It's a great product from Kaweco that is a "larger than life" take on one of my other favorite Kaweco products, the Liliput. Of course, the Supra is a bit more expensive than the Liliput, but that's easy to explain with the larger size and larger nib. I look forward to other variants of the Supra from Kaweco in the future!

Goldspot have the Supra in EF, F, M, B, and BB nib sizes.

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

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, which I am very grateful for.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!