The Pen Addict Podcast: Episode 458 - The Fourth Best Colour

As Myke and I work through what we are currently using in the beginning of this episode, I am taking notes on how I can present this type of content in an overall “How I Use It” post. The more I think about it, the more I realize one big all-encompassing article may not be the move, but smaller groupings, as I broke them down in this episode, may be the play. We shall see!

Show Notes & Download Links

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Fabriano EcoQua Pocket Notebook (Pack of 4): 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.)

Fabriano is an Italian company that has been making paper since 1264. Yes, you read that correctly: 1264! Greats like Michelangelo, Beethoven, and Francis Bacon used Fabriano paper--but, no worries. You needn't paint the Sistine Chapel or write a symphony or become a philosopher in order to enjoy this paper. It'll work for bullet journaling and shopping lists.

EcoQua Pocket Notebook covers are made with 290gsm Sirio Tela ecological paper. This paper is thick like card stock, but has a textured surface that resists scratching. The corners of the notebook are rounded off, giving them a clean, sophisticated look. Each notebook is staple bound with two staples and measures 3 by 5.5 inches.

The paper inside is Bioprima Book paper in ivory. This paper is 85gsm (i.e. much thicker than Tomoe River Paper, for example). In addition, it is eco-friendly. The pulp comes from forests that are managed in accordance with specifications established by the Forest Stewardship Council. The paper is also chlorine free.

My set of notebooks are dot grid patterned (4mm), but blank versions are available. The notebook has 32 pages, and the last 16 are perforated. Be aware that the perforation is 10mm from the inside margin, so if you aren't careful some of your writing might remain in the notebook.

I tested the paper with eight fountain pens and inks. The paper handled all of them quite well. I observed no bleeding even with the wettest nibs. There was no bleed through onto the back of the page either, although there was show through. Writing on this paper is enjoyable. It is smooth but offers just enough feedback that your nibs feel steady.

Next, I tested the paper with other writing instruments (pens and pencils), and, again, the paper worked well. Colors are bright and readable. I noticed that the Palomino Blackwing lead smudged when I ran my finger over it. Both Sharpies bled through to the other side, but no other bleed through occurred.

I swabbed eight inks on the paper. All the colors are brilliant, none bled through, and some exhibited a tiny bit of sheen. Had this been a sunny day, sheen may have been much more visible. I apologize for not knowing the name of the first ink. I'm pretty sure I reviewed it long ago for Pen Addict, but neither the box nor the bottle give the name in English.

I copied a Mary Oliver poem into the notebook using my Platinum fountain pen with a soft nib and Iroshizuku Yama Budo. The ink went down smoothly and dried quickly. I wasn't worried about smudging nor did I feel like the nib was skating over the surface.

I have no complaints whatsoever with the Fabriano EcoQua notebooks. They are well made and the paper is exquisite. You can purchase four-packs from JetPens for $11.00 in cool colors (Black, Grey, Plum, and Turquoise) or warm colors (Red, Orange, Yellow, and Green).

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

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Opus 88 Omar Fountain 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. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

I do love a pen that holds a LOT of ink, and the [Opus Omar 88] definitely does. I call pens like this "ink tanks" because I can fill 'em up and write for days. It's also the first Opus pen that I've tried, and it won't be the last.

The Opus 88 Omar is an eyedropper-fill pen with a cool internal mechanism that prevents leaking. Similar to a Pilot 823, the endcap of the pen activates an ink stopper. When it's screwed down flush with the pen body, only a limited amount of ink reaches the feed. When it's unscrewed a few turns, it releases all of the ink supply for steady writing. When you're done writing, you seal it down, and it won't leak its small ocean of ink in your bag or pocket.

You probably won't have this pen in a pocket anyway. It's massive. I have small hands and usually stick to small pens, but I was drawn to the large ink capacity and vintage style of this pen. Despite its ginormosity, it's very light and comfortable to hold. I didn't struggle with it nearly as much as I thought I would.

It is constructed of acrylic in a semi-translucent dark grey (so you can see your ink level if you hold it up to the light), with a lovely flecked cap. The end caps are a classic ivory color. The clip and bands are chrome. The clip is very broad and very firm. I have to manually lift it to get it to clip to things, and then it's a bit of work to get it unclipped. The grip section is black acrylic. It tapers nicely and is comfortable to use.

The pen comes with its own dropper, so filling it from bottled ink is fairly easily done, though I did manage to over-squeeze the dropper once and spray a few ink drops on my desk. I don't know what the total capacity is for this pen, but I do know that I have been writing a lot lately, and it's only half empty. Or half full. Both.

The #6 Jowo nib on mine is splendid. I have the 1.5mm stub, and it writes reliably and smoothly. It's one of those pens that makes me want to write for no reason, just to use it. I think it's very well priced at [$123 on JetPens]. Frankly, with the nice materials and unique filling system, they could be asking a lot more. It also comes in stunning purple, green, and amber colors, so good luck deciding.

(JetPens 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, for which I am very grateful.

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