The Pen Addict Podcast: Episode 470 - Fibers in the Groove

Big episode this week, as I break down my time with the Drillog, share details of the Pen Addict Ajoto, sort out what TWSBI is up to with the Swipe, and try to stay on the good side of the Ruler Mafia.

Show Notes & Download Links

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Hightide Clip Ruler 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 love tools that have more than one function, especially simple ones. Readers and writers need bookmarks, planners and artists need rulers, and everyone needs a good paperclip from time to time. This thin strip of aluminum serves so many needs.

While the Hightide Clip Ruler isn't a new concept, this is a well-designed execution of a clip-ruler-bookmark. The aluminum is thin but sturdy. The ruler markings go all the way to the edge of the ruler for easy measuring. The clip has a slight swoop at the end for easy sliding onto pages, and it clips with just the right amount of grip. It doesn't fall out or slide around, but it's easy to slide on or remove without scraping the paper. It narrows slightly also.

The finish is nice and smooth, so it works great as a straight-edge. The clip does get in the way of the pen or pencil slightly when using it as a straight-edge for drawing lines, so it only works along the 10cm length where the markings are. As a ruler, it has cm and half-cm on one side and cm and mm on the other. There are no inch markings, so it may not work for you if that's your preferred unit of measurement.

It does make a good bookmark, though I found the fold at the top of the clip to be a bit thick. That works great if you're using it to clip pages together, but it does create a gap that leaves marks on your paper if you're only clipping it over a page or three. It also leaves a lump in your book. It works much better if you clip it over a larger clump of pages, to fill the available space in the clip.

The $9 price tag does feel a little high for a plain clip ruler. There are similar products available for much less, and much fancier ones for only slightly more. But if you don't want fancy, and the plainness is part of the appeal, this is a good quality piece.

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

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Fine Writing International: Fenestro Kuroshio Fountain Pen with 1.5mm Stub Nib Review

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

The Fenestro fountain pen is one of those newcomers that really caught me off guard. I hadn't heard of the brand — Fine Writing International — let alone have any awareness of the pen before it showed up on JetPens. With any new brand, there's always a hefty risk with trying something for the first time. In some cases, that risk turns out to be negative. In the case of the Fenestro, it turned out to be a positive risk.

The Fenestro Kuroshio is a beautiful fountain pen that sports a colorful resin body and a glorious 1.5mm stub nib. The Kuroshio part of the name refers to the specific colorway of this model, which is a combination of swirled blue and turquoise that creates a beautiful flowing water effect. I'm mesmerized by the depth of the material and love looking at it while it's on my desk.

Along with the gorgeous resin material, there's a massive ink window (turns out "fenestro" means "window" in Esperanto) that shows you a clear view of how much ink is remaining in the converter cartridge or in the ink reservoir if you've chosen to fill the pen as an eye-dropper, which is completely supported by the Fenestro. There's a beefy o-ring above the threads of the section that connect to the ink reservoir, so you don't have to worry about any ink leaking out if you choose to fill it with an eyedropper. According to JetPens, you can fill 3.6 ml of ink into the pen this way!

The pen is as versatile as it is beautiful. It can be used with nearly any standard international cartridge or converter, or you can fill the barrel directly with up to 3.6 ml of ink using the included plastic eyedropper. The durable resin barrel is acid resistant and alkali resistant, making it safe to fill with any fountain pen ink.

Moving on to the size of the pen, it's not exactly a pocket pen. It's fairly large at just under 6 inches when capped, and a whopping 7 inches when posted. I haven't posted this pen at all because I find the uncapped length (5.3 inches) to be perfect for me.

The grip section on this pen is small compared to the rest of the body size, but it's still very comfortable to use. The material is slick and polished, but still provides a great surface to grip when writing. The transition from the grip section to the ink window is soft to the touch and provides a nice tactile indicator for where your fingers are resting when writing with the pen. Due to the length and fairly lightweight nature of the pen, it's extremely comfortable to use for long writing sessions. I've had zero issues with my standard tripod grip, but your experience may vary depending on how you grip the pen.

The nib is a #6 JoWo with a custom stamp for the FWI brand. Like all JoWo nibs, it performs well and I've been really happy with it. The 1.5mm stub outfitted on this model is velvety smooth and dependable. The edges are delightfully soft while still providing plenty of sharp variation between horizontal and vertical stroke line widths. It's a fantastic nib, and it's also easy to swap out with any other JoWo #6 nib.

The one thing that I really dislike about this pen (and I mean I really dislike it) is the size of the clip on the cap. It's comically small and just feels so out of place on a pen of this size. It could easily be another 0.75" long to fit the length of the pen better. I'm not sure why FWI chose to use such a petite clip on this pen, but I think it was the wrong choice. At any rate, it works great as a clip in terms of pure functional design. If only it complimented the aesthetics of the pen!

At $85, the Fenestro is a good deal. The materials and components are top notch, and the pen is an absolute stunner when it's sitting on your desk or in the right light. It brings me a lot of joy to use, and I think the price is fair for what you get, especially considering the massive amount of ink you can store in it. The shape isn't anything special, but it's a classic shape that should fit many grips. In my few weeks of use, it's performed well, and I expect it to continue holding its own. When comparing this to the likes of a TWSBI 580 or Kaweco AL Sport, I'd be hard pressed to pick either of them over this beautiful Kuroshio model.

(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!