The Pen Addict Podcast: Episode 342 - They Made It More Boring

I get it. You need basic, standard colors in your product lineup. And honestly, that is probably where the majority of sales come from, especially from first time buyers. But don’t take away the cool colors you already offered to make room for them!

I don’t rant too much in this episode. We needed room for hipster knife talk, and for me to fawn over the final version of the Mark One.

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy.

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.

Harry's: Quality shaving and grooming products, at a fair price.

Posted on January 18, 2019 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Podcast.

The Pen Rest by Walden Woodworkers: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

Galen Leather sent me several wonderful pen items after I encountered problems with my six-pen case (reviewed here). One of those items was “The Pen Rest” by Walden Woodworkers.

The Pen Rest is made out of a single piece of mahogany wood. It has an aged brass plate on the front with “Walden Woodworkers Istanbul” inscribed in it.

The holder is carved with three slots for pens to rest lengthwise. I really like the design with its subtle curves and simplicity.

The Pen Holder accommodates small and medium-sized pens well. I tried it with a Platinum, Sailor 1911L, and Pilot Vanishing Point, and all the pens fit and were accessible.

However, oversized pens overwhelm the holder. You can fit two comfortably, but three is definitely a crowd.

I definitely prefer a pen holder that allows my pens to be in a horizontal position. In vertical holders, the ink sinks to the bottom, and that can lead to hard starts. That said, detail that would make this pen rest even better is felt on the bottom to protect other surfaces.

You can purchase the Walden Woodworkers Pen Rest from Galen Leather for a very reasonable $16.00.

(Galen Leather sent me this pen rest as a gift. I did not request it for review nor did they ask me to review the product.)

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Posted on January 18, 2019 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Walden Woodworkers, Storage.

Kuretake Fudegokochi Brush Pen 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.)

I can't draw or do lettering very well, so brush pens always confound me a bit. I love the feel of the way they write, but I can't wield them the way that artists do, and I certainly don't get the beautiful results. I still reach for them, though. I'm usually writing just for myself, so neatness isn't critical.

The very fine points on these Kuretake Fudegokochi brush pens give me the fun feeling of writing with a brush pen while still allowing me to write legibly. Well, as much as I ever do, anyway. The line varies from .4mm to 1.8mm, and the firm felt tip springs back so that the very fine line is maintained even as the brush breaks in.

The pens are very well made. The body is lightweight plastic. The caps and end caps are the color of the pen ink, the body is in a parchment color with a matte finish, minimal branding in Japanese text, and the grip section is clear, so the ink can be seen moving through the feed. The clip is metal, very sturdy and springy. The cap snaps securely and posts deeply. The grip is not tapered at all, but the cylinder is a good diameter and the pen is light enough that a fancy grip isn't needed.

The ink colors in these blue-black and brown samples are lovely. They're earthy and neutral, but rich in pigment. They do feel a bit dry on the page, but there doesn't appear to be any ink starvation. It may just be the texture of the tip. The ink dries quickly and doesn't smear. I did not see any feathering on Rhodia paper, and there was no bleed-through, even when I pressed the tip to its maximum flex. It is important to note, though, that this ink is not waterproof. So, while it is great for line drawings, it should not be colored over with paint or marker (unless you want smearing and colors to run, which does look cool, if that's what you're going for).

The pens are not refillable, and are a bit pricey at $4.25 a pop. The six-color pack at $20 isn't a bad deal, though, and is something I'd definitely go for if I used brush pens with any regularity (or if I used them with even a small measure of talent). Of all the brush pens I've used just for funsies, these are some of the nicest.

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

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