J. Herbin Amethyste de l'Oural Ink 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.)

The Herbin Company (formerly known as J. Herbin) has launched their new line of inks this fall--the 1798 collection, with the stunning Amethyste de l’Oural. I've been known to say that I don't care much for shimmer inks, and then inks like this one make me eat those words for breakfast. I like everything about this ink.

The new 1798 collection is based on another milestone for the Herbin company--the year they moved to their shop in Paris. They sold pen nibs and wax and ink--necessities in those days, and little luxuries today. The new collection makes a few improvements over the 1670 anniversary collection. The mouth of the bottle is wider to accommodate pens more easily, the wax cap seal is thicker and stronger, the labeling and packaging has improved. My favorite thing about this ink might be the beautiful bottle. I love the embossed ship logo on the bottom. The bottle is also heavy and sturdy, so it's not likely to tip over.

The ink is a rich, royal purple with a fine, subtle silver shimmer. The particles need to be gently distributed into the ink before filling your pen. The purple "amethyste" color is to honor the gemstone that was shipped around the world in the 16th and 17th centuries. It's a sophisticated shade, and the silver sparkle adds a bit of smoky shine to it. It's not a glaring mirror-shine, but a more elegant glint. It isn't even noticeable in some lights or on some paper, but when the right light hits it at an angle, it gives a little wink of fairy dust.

The ink is well saturated and has some water resistance to it. Lines were still visible after spending a few minutes in water. I can also say it lingers on the fingertips through many (many) washes. It's a wet, well-lubricated ink. I was delightfully surprised by that. One of the things I dislike about a lot of shimmer inks is how they can feel a bit dry or clumpy. This is one of the wettest inks I've ever used. I put it in the driest nib I own--one of the black-coated Lamy fine nibs--and it lubricated the writing so well that it made me enjoy a nib I usually avoid. Between the wetness and the shimmer, there's very little shading--but it doesn't need it. It's also rather slow to dry on Rhodia paper. There was very mild feathering (there might be more with a wider/wetter nib) and no bleed-through.

Perhaps because the particles seem finer (at least by sight) than in some other shimmer inks, I had no trouble cleaning it out of my pen. It's actually one of the better-behaving inks I've ever used. Still be careful when using it in vintage pens or pens that are notoriously difficult to clean--but I have no concerns about using this ink regularly in an everyday writer. In fact, I've been using it every day for some time, now, and enjoying every minute.

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

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Posted on November 16, 2017 by Sarah Read and filed under J. Herbin, Ink Review.

Frara Road Pen Roll Review

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

Once you start collecting a few pens, it doesn't take long to realize that you also need a convenient to store and transport multiple pens at a time. Luckily, there are many such options available to stationery nerds today. These options can vary as far as design and materials, but most are made of nylon fabric, plastic, metal, or leather. And, the Frara Road Pen Roll happens to be in the leather variety.

Frara Road is a small company based in Cape Town, South Africa that specializes in unique stationery goods. From James and Jesse, the owners, their mission is simple:

We set out upon Frara Road™ with a simple goal to make lasting products that are beautiful to look at and most importantly, practical to use. To make nothing that is unnecessary and to make things that we personally want. Their shop is small, but focused. It's nice to see a small business that is selling a few goods they really believe in as opposed to a shop selling lots of different things that they may not personally vouch for. In the case of Frara Road, the stuff they sale are curated by the owners.

Back to the Pen Roll — it's gorgeous. Made from full-grain upholstery leather, it has a luxurious, soft feel and tantalizing smell. The leather is a medium brown color, and ages quite well with use. It's bound to pick up a few nicks and scuffs, but that makes leather goods look better with age. Inside the case, there's more leather that forms the pen slots, but it also features a flap that folds down over the pens to protect them each other when the case is rolled up. The back side of the leather is unfinished, which gives it a super soft, carpet-like feel. I definitely don't worry about my pens when they're in this case — they are well-protected.

The Pen Roll has six pen sleeves, which are separated with stitching. In fact, there's a lot of stitching on this case, and it's well-done. I haven't noticed any stray threads or sloppy lines. After several months of use, it's held up really well. But, I'd expect as much from leather goods!

Due to the soft interior leather, pens slide in and out of the sleeves with ease. It can sometime take some fidgeting to get the clip over the edge of the leather, but it's a minor thing that you'll experience with most pen cases, sleeves, etc. Once the pens are in the sleeve, they don't budge. Even if your pen doesn't have a clip, it is held securely in the sleeve. And, once you fold down the inner flap and roll up the case, they're not going anywhere.

Like most pen rolls, it can take some practice to find the best way to roll up the case efficiently and securing the straps. In the case of cloth pen rolls, the process is easier, but it takes more effort to secure the string or straps to ensure the case doesn't come loose and open in your bag. With the Frara Road Pen Roll, you have to pay more attention when rolling the case shut due to the thickness and stiffness of the leather. While the stiffness does go away after some regular use, it's still a thick material. Once the leather breaks in, it becomes incredibly easy to roll the case up. The leather falls into a groove and tends to retrace its own steps when it's time to pack up. That's one of the delightful thing about leather goods. They're unique and take on a life of their own with time.

After the case is rolled up, there's a single strap that secures it. The strap wraps around the case, feeds through a small slot, doubles back, and stays tight without any need for knots or extra tucking. I was skeptical that it would be this easy, but it works really well. Feed the strap through the top of the hole, pull it back under itself, give it a tug to tighten it down, and you're set. The friction of the leather is enough to keep this roll secure, no matter how long or short the journey. When you arrive and it's time to get out the goods, a simple tug in the reverse direction will loose the strap and allow you to quickly open the case. This is truly the first closure system that I've enjoyed in a pen roll or pen wrap style case. It's great!

Obviously, there are other cases available that hold the same number of pens, have more features, cost less, etc. When it comes down to it, this is a well-made leather stationery accessory. You already know if you're keen on leather goods. If you're one of those people, there's a good chance you'll love this case. If you're not, lucky you! There are so many other choices out there. To me, this case is worth it alone based on aesthetics, but it's also a great functional case.

When first using the case, one downside in my mind was how bulky and large it is once rolled up. But, after comparing it with a fully loaded Brasstown, I was surprised to find that it was a very similar size. It's a bit fatter, but not as tall length-wise. Also, being made of leather, it's pliable when you pack it in a bag. It might look a bit chubby in some ways, but it's still very space efficient and easy to pack.

Overall, the Frara Road Pen Roll is a great intersection of beauty and functionality. For storing and transporting up to six pens or pencils, this is a top-notch option if you prefer leather over nylon or plastic. At $75, it's a bit pricey when compared with other cases, but (again) it's made from leather and looks fantastic.

(Frara Road 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!

Posted on November 15, 2017 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Frara Road, Pen Case.

MD Sticky Memo Pad: Sticky Notes that Write Great and Help You Stay Organized

(Original Mai-Bun article, posted on 2016/05/16. Written by Saori. Translated by Bruce Eimon.)

When you think of sticky notes, you probably think of those that come in bright yellow and pink colors, or those with cute decorations on them. That’s what comes to my mind too. One day at a stationery store, though, I came across a stack of plain looking cream colored sticky notes, sitting there alongside the colorful ones I was accustomed to seeing.

The MD Sticky Memo Pad is part of the MD PAPER PRODUCTS family by Midori, known for its high quality MD Notebooks, and also a sister company to the makers of the much loved TRAVELER’S notebooks. Just like the MD Notebook, the MD Sticky Memo Pad employs a simple design without any decorations.

They are offered in the same page formats as the MD Notebooks, with blank, 7mm lines, and a 5mm grid. For a person like myself who likes using my 5mm grid notebook, I can’t be happier for my favorite format to be available as a sticky-note.

*From top to bottom: mechanical pencil, ball point pen, rollerball pen, magic marker.*

Even as a sticky-note, it has the same smooth writing experience as the well known MD Notebooks. It handles all writing instruments exceedingly well, giving you a pleasurable writing no matter what you use.

Take it everywhere as your pocket notebook MD Sticky Memo Pads come with both a front and a rear cover, unlike regular sticky-notes which are fully exposed. This makes it easy to throw one into your purse or backpack, just like any other notebook.

There are two sizes: an A7 size (H102mm×W76mm) that peels up, and a larger A6 size (H150mm×W102mm) that peels sideways. Both are perfect sizes for taking quick notes “on the go” and are compact enough to fit in any bag or purse.

The one drawback of the pages being sticky is that you cannot flip them over to keep writing on the next page. To get around this, I suggest you peel off the notes after each use and stick them behind the front cover. Since the cover is slightly longer than the sticky notes themselves, they fit in just nicely without sticking out.

*Very easy to move your jottings to your notebook, planner, or diary.*

When you write something in a pocket notebook, it is quite tedious to copy that information to your other notebooks. With the MD Sticky Memo Pad, however, it is super easy to move your notes to your other notebooks. No extra tools, no extra time.

For a person like myself who uses my planner strictly to keep track of my schedule, I am thankful that I have the MD sticky-notes to take my notes on. And to be able to do this on high quality paper?! Why not pick the format of your choice and give this writing-pleasure a try?

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