The Pen Addict Podcast: Episode 266 - Sometimes Funny, Most of the Time Nonsense

Image via Wired

I’m not sure what was in the water this week but I laughed my tail off in this episode. Maybe it was the talk of the Paper Mate Ballpoint that got me going, or maybe it was just us being anxious about our Field Notes trip in the fall. Whatever it was, it was a good time.

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

Pen Chalet: Click the ‘podcast’ link at the top of the website and enter the password ‘penaddict’ for this week’s special offer, and to get your code for 10% off.

Blue Apron: A better way to cook. Get three meals free with your first purchase, and free shipping.

Robert Oster Signature Ink Review: Peppermint

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

I’ve often said that my favorite color of ink is blue—any shade of blue. But Robert Oster is making a green-ink lover out of me. I reviewed Verde de Rio here, and I’m still planning on getting a bottle of Jade. When I first saw Peppermint on Robert’s Instagram feed, I knew I had to have it. For those folks who like to do the Christmas in July thing, Peppermint is the perfect ink. It makes you feel all cool and pepperminty inside as you write with it.

Chromatography shows how nicely complex this ink is, with pink, some turquoise, and lots of deep blue and green shades.

The ink looks sort of flat on my ink testing sheet, but I think that’s because I used a fine nib, and the Maruman paper doesn’t show off the ink’s sheen (more on that below). This is a really nice blue/green ink. It has no odor. The dry times are faster than some of the other Robert Oster inks I’ve tested, but it’s definitely not a dry ink. It is not waterproof.

But boy, oh boy, is this some sheeny ink. When you use a wide nib or do ink splats and expose it to some sunshine, you get a bright pink sheen that shouts “Peppermint!” And then you start craving candy canes.

Written with the Handwritmic Pen

Peppermint is a terrific green for any occasion, but just wait until it’s time to write those Christmas cards. I might just get started now! (Ha, ha, yeah right). You can get a 50ml bottle of Robert Oster Peppermint from JetPens for $17.00.

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

---

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, which I am very grateful for.

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

Copic Multiliner 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.)

With the Copic Multiliner, this is the first time that I have used a fineliner in a color other than black, and I'm totally in love with that, now. These have planted themselves squarely into the "things I didn't know I needed in my life" category. Unfortunately, while the ink makes these a fantastic product, the build of these pens makes me less likely to meet their price point unless I have a specific project in mind for them.

The strength of these pens lies completely in their pigment-based ink. It's waterproof, acid-free, bleed-proof, archival, and works with alcohol markers. It doesn't dissolve toner, so it's safe to use on printouts or photocopies. The colors are well-pigmented and leave solid lines. There's a range of ten colors available in neutral and natural tones that are perfect for sketching.

The tips are available in a huge range of sizes from .03 up to 1.0 in the felt-tips, and several sizes of sponge-tip brush tips. The long needle-point makes it easy to see your work as you sketch, and the tip runs over the paper with a good bit of feedback. The tips do wear out quite quickly on textured paper. Even on smooth paper, it feels like the .03 size, which is particularly fragile, wears out before the life expectancy of the pen. Because these are the disposable model of pen (unlike the refillable SP version), that life expectancy is more important, especially considering that these pens run $3.60 a pop.

These disposable models cost only a little more than a cartridge for the refillable version, and less than a refill and new tip for the SP model--which makes them, in general, a better investment than the refillable pen. That seems a bit backwards to me. But I think the issue here is that the ink and tip are really all you are paying for in the disposable version. It doesn't feel like much has been invested into the pen body at all.

The body is made of a slightly sparkly, almost granite-looking plastic. I think that's a bit misleading. When I first saw them, I assumed they were glitter gel pens. When I realized they were serious business copic liners, I was surprised. I certainly don't see an architect carryiCg these into an important meeting. The quality of the plastic feels fairly cheap. If they weren't branded, I'd be guessing these came from a line that costs pennies per unit. The molded plastic has rough seams and edges, and the clip is so flimsy I can bend it way back with barely any pressure at all. The cap does post, but with a friction that feels ill-fitted and unreliable.

Basically, I think these pens are unicorns in mule clothing. I'm not likely to spend this much for a disposable pen that might wear out before it runs dry. But I am very likely going to need to outline something in olive green or lavender on occasion--and for that, I am very glad these exist.

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

---

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, which I am very grateful for.

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