Fisher Backpacker Space Pen - The Perfect Holiday Gift Pen (Sponsor)

Just in time for the holidays, Fisher Space Pen Co., releases new colors of their Backpacker Space Pen, the perfect gift for travelers. The new Backpackers come in Forest Green, Purple and Gun Metal Gray. Like all Fisher Space Pens, the new Backpackers write upside down, under water, in extreme temperatures from -30 to +250 degrees F (-35 to +121 Celsius), over almost any surface, and three times longer than the average pen. And, they won’t explode or spill ink in the pressurized cabin of an airliner. The Backpacker is a two-piece space pen with a key ring on its cap that easily attaches to your keys, backpack, hiking gear, belt loop or suitcase. It can hang upside down for months and will function immediately when needed. All Fisher Space Pen products are guaranteed for life. Whether you’re on a warm beach or on a frigid mountain, Fisher Space Pens will keep writing under all weather conditions. View and Shop Fisher Backpacker Space Pens

Made for Space, Improves Life on Earth. In 2021, Fisher Space Pen and Paul C. Fisher were inducted into Space Foundation’s Space Technology Hall of Fame, recognizing the groundbreaking pressurized refill technology invented by Fisher, which not only helps astronauts write in space but also makes life better for millions on Earth. Fisher Space Pen is used on every crewed space mission, including Russian and Chinese space programs, and enjoyed by millions around the world. Today, the company has grown to over 65 full-time employees, proudly manufacturing Made in America high-quality writing instruments, shipping over 1 million pens per year to distributors in over 60 countries. The Fisher Space Pen remains among the most preferred ballpoint pens around the world.

My thanks to the Fisher Space Pen Co. for sponsoring The Pen Addict this week.

Van Dieman's Devil's Kitchen Fountain Pen Ink Review

Is “blue” the broadest fountain pen ink category? It has to be, right? Royal Blue, Navy Blue, Blue Black, Turquoise, Sky, insert Ocean or Lake descriptor here. The list goes on and on.

Why are they so popular? Because they are not black, and are mostly appropriate in an office setting. They give your writing character, and co-workers won’t give you the side-eye that green, purple, or orange might bring.

Fountain pen users have no shortage of blue inks at their fingertips, and a wide range of favorites. And you know what else? There is always room for one more. That’s where Van Dieman’s Devil’s Kitchen comes in.

You may have seen Jeff recently review this ink right here in these pages. I’m always open to reviewing the same writing instrument as other reviewers - we all have unique use cases and experiences for pens and pencils. But inks? They are a more static product, and usually one review is enough.

So, why was I compelled to review Devil’s Kitchen a second time? Because the color of ink in my bottle looks completely different than Jeff’s, and different than most retail samples you see online.

The color of ink in Jeff’s review perfectly matches the most common sample shown online, such as the swab from Vanness Pens, where I purchased my bottle from, and where Jeff’s sample vial was from. It’s a beautiful deep teal green, and a color I would highly recommend if you are looking for that shade.

That’s not what I see from my bottle, though. What I see is represented on Van Dieman’s product page, a rich, complex deep ocean blue. Their image even has more character than I’ve personally seen so far, but that hasn’t kept me from enjoying this ink immensely.

That I use it and enjoy it so much is what got me looking at the color variations online. I think the shade I have is perfect, and one of the best blues I have used in some time. The teal green is good, too, but this blue pops. I’ve used it as part of my #NaNoCoMo project (inked in the recently reviewed Edison x Goldspot Pens Newark Orion Nebula,) and I plan on keeping it on the front of the ink shelf for frequent use in other pens.

But it is blue. And it is different than Jeff’s sample, and other samples online. Right?

It looks like I have some emails to send to sort out the true color. Either that, or have my eyes checked.

(I purchased this ink from Vanness Pens at a discount for review purposes.)

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Misfill, Sinister Edition

Each week in Refill, the Pen Addict Members newsletter, I publish Ink Links as part of the additional content you receive for being a member. And each week, after 10 to 15 links, plus my added commentary on each, I'm left with many great items I want to share. Enter Misfill. Here are this weeks links:

— Belle and Sebastian's 'If You’re Feeling Sinister' Turns 25 (Pop Matters)

— Uni Jetstream Edge Review (Writing at Large)

— Ink Review #1694: Kobe 40 Sumiyoshi Brown (Mountain of Ink)

— Beer Stained Pulp: A collection of 'nicely designed' old beer mats from Britain's pubs (Creative Boom)

— Color Traveler Delta Light Blue on Midori MD (Inkcredible Colours)

— Vazir Coral (dapprman)

— Paul's Fountain Pen Journal (The Well-Appointed Desk)

— S1:P7 — Syringes are my favorite tool for cleaning pens (mnmlscholar)

— Ink Review #628: 3 Oysters Cool Grey (Fountain Pen Pharmacist)

— Ho ho ho with the Benu Mistletoe (UK fountain pens)

— Our Zoom Date with Wes Anderson's Sign Painters (Messy Messy Chic)

— War Drawing Pencils / Utility Pencils / WWII Pencils – Part 1 (Pencil Fodder)

— Stalogy Planners (Left Hook Pens)

— Fred Armisen Teaches a Short Seminar on the History of Punk (Open Culture)

Want to catch the rest, plus extra articles, reviews, commentary, discounts, and more? Try out a Pen Addict Membership for only $5 per month!