Kyokuto Nordic Color Animal W Ring Notebook 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.)

My first impression of the Nordic Color Animal W Ring Notebook was that it's a cute little thing, fun for class notes. I didn't take it terribly seriously. I wasn't even sure if I would review it. But then--the paper. This paper, you guys. Behind this unassuming fluffy critter illustration is the paper of a beast.

The general specs: This notebook is A5 sized with W-shaped twin-ring binding. The coil appears to be copper--it's very sturdy and doesn't feel like it will mush in my bag. There are 40 sheets of non-perforated, 7mm lined white paper. It's a softcover, but the back cardboard is sturdy enough to use as a writing surface. The front cover is clear plastic with a pocket, and behind that is an adorable illustration by Shunsuke Satake. The lines of the paper are faint dashes--a good guide, but subtle enough to ignore if you so desire. Along the top line are also subtle vertical guides to assist with any outlining or other alignment. And at the top of the page is room for a date or other label.

This notebook is really ideal for class or meeting notes--particularly things you want to keep as one unit, since the pages aren't perforated. One downside is that using the front cover pocket will obscure the cute illustration--but that also opens up the option for some custom decoration, so it's not all downside.

Now, about that paper. Holy cats, guys. This is some pleasant paper. It has just the right amount of texture to it to feel smooth while also providing good feedback. I had zero feathering with any of my inks or pens, and no bleedthrough at all. And barely any showthrough, even with a juicy flex nib. I was definitely not expecting this level of performance, especially in a notebook that costs less than five dollars. If you've been wishing for a lightweight notebook that you can use your serious business pens in, give this one a try. I'm taking a closer look at Kyokuto's other paper products now, and kind of wishing there was a sewn-bound book of this paper with a few hundred pages, with or without the adorable critters.

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

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!

Posted on August 24, 2017 by Sarah Read and filed under Kyokuto, Notebook Reviews.

The Pen Addict Podcast: Episode 271 - Anti-Myke

It’s time for the San Francisco Pen Show! I’m ready, and I make sure Myke knows I’m ready. I’m not sure my wallet is ready though. We talk about that, plus my discovery of the Platinum Soft Fine nib found in the 3776 series, future planning for pen shows, and why you should own a Pilot Custom 823.

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code INK at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.

Posted on August 23, 2017 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Podcast.

Platinum Citrus Black Ink Review

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

When it comes to yellow inks, I can't say I have much experience. It's not a color that I've been attracted to so far in my ink journey, but it doesn't mean I have anything against it, either. So, when I received a bottle of Platinum Citrus Black to try out, I was intrigued. The color of the ink that's visible through the bottle is very light and mostly transparent. I didn't expect this ink to surprise me as much as it did.

Upon inking up a pen and taking it to paper, the light, highlighter yellow ink was barely visible as I wrote. My impression was, "this is a useless color," but that's when things started to change. I hadn't researched the ink before trying it, and I discovered very quickly that Citrus Black is an iron gall ink that Platinum offers. To my surprise and delight, I watched the highlighter yellow ink transform into a deeper yellow with green tones, followed by an even deeper green/yellow that looked closer to olive. Needless to say, my initial impression was blown away.

*Drying characteristics taken over a 30 second timeframe*

If you've never tried an iron gall ink before, you're missing out. They have a unique characteristic (the iron) that causes the color and shade to change drastically as it dries. In every iron gall ink I try, this trait fascinates and delights me. With Citrus Black, it's no different.

Apart from the obvious color-changing trick, this ink also packs a pretty significant shading characteristic that makes it even more fun to use. Once the ink dries (which is a fairly quick process), you're left with a medium yellow/green/brown color on the page. It's technically an off-black, but it's not nearly dark enough in my mind to qualify for that name. Either way, it's an attractive color both wet and fully dry.

Being an iron gall, it's also very water-resistant if that's something you look for in inks. It's also worth pointing out that iron galls can cause some damage to your pens if left inked and unused for extended periods of time, but just make sure you clean it out after a month to ensure your pen keeps functioning as expected.

If there's one downside to this ink, it's the fact that the wet ink is just so darn difficult to see while writing. It really is a shade similar to highlighter, which makes it nearly illegible when wet. After about five seconds, that problem no longer presents, but it can be difficult if you're trying to keep your handwriting steady and legible. It's almost like writing with invisible ink.

Platinum Citrus Black, and all of the Platinum Classic Inks, are available in 60ml bottles for $25 at JetPens. The price is a bit higher than what you might normally expect, but it's a large bottle and a fascinating ink wholly worth the extra couple of dollars.

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

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