The Pen Addict Podcast: Episode 410 - Albert, Duchess, and Duke

Fujiyama Blue 2020, coming soon from Bungubox. — *Fujiyama Blue 2020, coming soon from* *Bungubox*.

The alternate title of this episode could have been “The Big Tease” because that is what Myke and I did for most of this episode. There are many cool new products launching that are right in our wheelhouse, including a Bungubox limited edition, and the latest from Platinum in the 3776 lineup.

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

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

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

Posted on May 14, 2020 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Podcast.

Midori Grain B6 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. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

I suppose if anyone was to change my mind about spiral binding, it would be Midori. I'd use their paper in any format, even the dreaded spiral bound. The Midori Grain B6 is an excellent notebook, and while it's not perfect, it does its job very well. And if you like spiral bound notebooks, I think you'd love it.

The Grain notebook gets its name from its unique recycled leather front cover. The leather is manufactured by a workshop in Valencia, Spain. The lightly grained cover comes in black or brown, and it has a rustic inside texture. The back cover is thick cardboard, with an additional sheet of cardboard that creates a very solid back. There is also a sheet of cardstock behind the leather of the front cover, to add structure to the front. You can swing the back cover around, and then have the thick cardboard to serve as structure for both sides of the page if you're writing on soft surfaces. It's a clever solution to a problem that plagues a lot of leather cover journals. The extra sheets of cardstock effectively make this a hardback book, though it is still flexible.

The spiral binding is a double coil of copper wire. It's very strong, but flexible, so should hopefully withstand being dragged in and out of book bags. It does have fairly sharp ends, but they are tucked between the cardboard sheets at the back of the journal, so quite safe and out of the way. So far I've had no issues with snagging. The smaller B6 size also helps with portability. At a larger size, this would be a substantial, heavy book, between the cardstock, metal, and generous number of pages.

The notebook has an elastic band closure anchored by metal rivets. At first I thought it was two strands of round cord, but they are actually one joined strand. Two would have been nice for this book, as one or both could then be used as bookmarks.

The leather and construction are well done, and the design is thoughtful and practical, but paper is always the highlight of any Midori product. This notebook offers two varieties. The first 100 sheets are white lined paper with 6 mm rule and a thicker line dividing the page into quarters. It's a good layout for notes, general writing, or even journaling or planner pages. The second 100 sheets are cream blank paper, perfect for more freeform notes or sketches.

Both paper varieties are excellent and hold up to a full spectrum of inks and nib thicknesses. As with many fountain pen friendly papers, only the sharpie bled through. The white lined paper had more show-through than the cream, but it would not be enough to discourage anyone from using both sides of the sheet.

One feature that the book lacks is a pocket or envelope for spare papers. The pages are also not perforated, so if you have to tear one out, you'll have the awful spiral-bound confetti edging. Those features would have likely come with some measure of cost, though, and this notebook is very economically priced at $15.00. That's a fantastic price for 200 sheets of high-quality paper and a leather cover. The book also has that intangible quality that just makes me want to write when I hold it. For me, that's the best quality any notebook can have. It's even enough to overcome my dislike of spiral binding.

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

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Posted on May 14, 2020 by Sarah Read and filed under Midori, Notebook Reviews.

Caran d'Ache Fixpencil Review

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

Mechanical pencils aren't my main niche, but I do appreciate them and always jump at the opportunity to try something new. Up until I tried the Fixpencil from Caran d'Ache, I had never used a lead holder before. What's a lead holder? It's a specific kind of mechanical pencil that holds a large piece of graphite with a clutch system. Instead of small (0.5mm, etc.) lead sizes, you can use larger 2 or 3mm lead for much greater control and variance.

Just like a wood case pencil, the larger graphite core used in a lead holder wears down the same way. It's a tool used by drafters and artists, and you can probably imagine why it is such a useful tool for anyone who uses graphite.

While the Fixpencil version that I have uses 3mm lead, you can find lead holders that use 5+mm lead! That's a thick chunk of graphite! Of course, you can also use different lead grades with these pencils, from the standard HB to other grades on either side. The lead I'm using is 3B, which lays down a thick and dark line with very little pressure. The point wears down very quickly as a result of this, so it's not the best lead for general writing. But, if you're a drafter or artist, you can probably put this lead to much better use. The ability to hold the pencil at a sharp angle and quickly shade in an area is quite a treat. And, you can easily control the amount of lead that protrudes from the end of the pencil. I imagine this comes down entirely to use case and personal preference, but it's something you can only get away with when using the thick lead core that lead holders use.

Aside from the fascination with this unique type of writing instrument or drawing tool, it's still a pencil. It makes marks when you move the graphite end on paper, but what else does it do? Well, for one, it looks fantastic.

Based on the famous Caran d'Ache 849 line of pens and mechanical pencils, the Fixpencil features some very familiar lines. The hexagonal barrel tapers down to a smooth cone at the front of the barrel, and the shiny chrome clip accentuates the industrial barrel with a subdued elegance. The cap on the top of the pen (red in my case) is chosen randomly when you purchase the pencil. You'll receive either a red, blue, or black with the pencil, but you can also purchase other colors separately in order to easily distinguish different lead types if you use several of these pencils at once.

The inside of the cap (or button) has a hidden lead sharpener that you can use in a pinch. I wasn't too happy with the wide tip it sharpened onto the lead, so I recommend using a better sharpener to get the point you want. Just remember to be gentle because the lead will snap easily if you bend it the wrong way!

Pushing the cap or button down releases the clutch jaws around the lead. You can hold the button down and use your fingers to adjust the amount of lead that protrudes from the tip. Once you're happy, just release the cap and the spring-loaded jaws hold the lead tight. Once you're ready to pack up, just open the jaws again and hide the lead inside the body. When the jaws are empty, they close together to prevent the lead core from sliding out. Nifty!

Writing with the pencil is incredibly comfortable. The hexagonal shape of the barrel and the smooth cone feel great in the hand, and there's enough texture on the barrel to provide good grip.

The clip is really strong and has no problem securing the pencil to whatever you clip it to. As an added bonus, it also keeps the pencil from rolling away when you lay it on your work surface. There isn't much branding on this pencil, aside from a tiny Caran d'Ache Fixpencil logo (and the lead size) underneath the clip, and a small "SWISS MADE" logo above the clip. The branding is small and adds a touch of elegance to the pencil.

There are plenty of lead options to keep you happy and occupied with your art. The lead cores are about 3.5 inches long. The amount of time they last comes down to how you use it and how soft or hard the lead grade is.

If 3mm is a little too large, there's also a 2mm version of the same pencil.

You'll know if this pencil is something you'd enjoy using, and the price is also low enough to make it a great option. The Caran d'Ache Fixpencil is a great tool that offers a ton of flexibility.

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

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