The Pen Addict Podcast: Episode 466 - I'm Not Going to Rank My Friends

Is ranking pens easy, or hard? In the case of my Top 5 Fountain Pens $100-$200 Update, it was a good bit of both. Myke and I discuss the challenges of this list in particular, positive Drillog news, and the pen stand to end all pen stands.

Show Notes & Download Links

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Pelikan M205 Moonstone 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!)

Be still my glitter goth heart. I held off on the Pelikan M205 Moonstone, because I already have the Star Ruby, and I told myself I didn't need this one, too. We all lie to ourselves, sometimes. It continued to haunt me. Thankfully, Brad (the best) sent one my way from JetPens, and I am so glad he did. This is a gorgeous pen, and totally in keeping with the quality I expect from Pelikan.

Like the Ruby, this one is really difficult to photograph. The pen looks plain grey in so many photos, but it's really a misty transparent acrylic that is completely saturated with very fine rainbow sparkles. When you hold it to the light, you can see how transparent it really is, in keeping with the gemstone theme.

It's not only beautiful, but it's a very well-made pen. As I've mentioned before, Pelikan is a brand that doesn't treat its lower-tier pens like lesser-than versions of the expensive models. This pen feels every bit as refined as its upper-echelon peers. It is all flush joins and precise edges with crisp details. Because it's part of the Classic line, and not the Souveran line, it sacrifices a few fancy features for a lower price tag, but it sacrifices absolutely nothing in quality. These Pelikan Classic limited edition pens come in at $192, half the cost of the Souveran specials. That is an increase from when the Ruby came out at under $170, but it's still reasonable for this pen, in my opinion.

It has a steel nib instead of gold, but Pelikan's steel nibs are every bit as smooth as most gold nibs. I have to double-check every time to even be sure it is steel and not gold. This one is an extra fine, but writes more broadly than a lot of extra fine nibs, as Pelikan’s do. It writes very well with a bit of feedback but no scratchiness. This nib is actually a little drier than I like, which is rare for Pelikan. Most of mine have been firehoses, so this may be an anomaly.

The pen body, cap, and grip section are made in ethereal, shimmering acrylic. It has chromium plated trim, with the characteristic Pelikan bill clip. The clip is just the right amount of firm and springy. The finial is black plastic with a silver stenciled pelican with one chick. Overall, it looks classy. It's not glittery in a kitschy way--it's fine, and subtle enough that it looks more like a shimmer, from a distance. Up close, in direct light, you can see the sparks of complex colors and depth to its finish. It's more playful than standard Pelikan fare, but stops well short of glitzy. The cap posts securely, and it is very comfortable to hold, posted or not, for my hands.

I should probably stop trying to resist these Pelikan gemstone limited editions. They're perfectly understated fun, really great quality, and fairly priced. I don't know if future editions will match this perfect blend of glitter and gloom that I love so much, but I have a feeling this isn't my last Pelikan gemstone pen.

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

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Shibui 3-Pen Case Review

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

There's certainly no shortage of supplies when it comes to pen cases, and that's not a bad thing in my book. The more options, the better. And as long as manufacturers and designers are coming up with their own unique, creative offerings, it's a great situation for sellers and buyers alike. The latest pen case to come across my desk is one from Shibui — a 3-Pen Case made from a lovely leather that zips up to keep your pens safe.

If you're interested in keeping your pens secure and making sure they don't touch, this is a great case option. There are three slots inside the case that can be adjusted to fit pens of different diameters. It's a clever leather design that makes it fairly easy to adjust, but very difficult for the loops to come loose on their own. In my experience, I've had no issues with the loops becoming loose with regular use.

The ability to secure your pens inside the case is one thing, but what about protecting what's inside from the outside world? Well, the Shibui has you covered there as well. The case closes completely using a YKK zipper, and there's very little chance of anything getting in or out while it's zipped up. The zipper mechanism is very smooth and feels well-made, which is to be expected from YKK.

The case opens easily, but it doesn't lay flat when open. The leather is just a bit too stiff to manage this, but I'm not sure it's even necessary. By the way, the leather used in this case is great quality. It's full-grain, so you know it will last quite a while and will also develop a spectacular patina over time and with use. The stitching that hold the panels and zippers together is well-done, and I don't have any concerns with anything coming undone over time.

The inside of the case also has a small flap pocket on the front side, but I haven't found a use for this yet. It would hold business cards, but that's not a common use case for me — just something to give you a concept of how small the flap really is. If it could hold standard 3x5 index cards, I'd be thrilled, but the don't fit without being bent quite a bit. On the upside, the size of the size of the closed and zipped case is fantastic for throwing into a bag, and it also manages to fit most organizational pockets with ease.

I've been really impressed with the materials and build quality of the Shibui 3-Pen Case. The unique adjustment loops are great for making sure every pen is snug when being transported, and I can see this lasting a really long time. At around $45 USD, it's also a pretty good value considering the quality and materials. Definitely something to check out if this design interests you!

(Shibui 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!