A bit of a different review this time! This review is of a pen that is many hundreds of dollars or even over a thousand dollars less than some pens I’ve reviewed. This pen is cheaper than any of my inks! The Pilot V-Pen/Varsity is a single-use (by design) fountain pen that retails for less than US$4. How does it stack up? A friend generously gave me this pen as a gift! Thanks!
Read MoreBerlin Notebook Blue No. 1 is a curious name! The brand is Berlin Notebook and the ink is called Blue No. 1. The ink is a ‘super sheener’ but most interestingly the ink also can be bought sans sheen! Berlin Notebook Blue No. 1 BLACK LABEL is a reformulation of the ink colour (almost) without the sheen. I don’t have this sans-sheen ink but I might look into it down the track. Berlin Notebook also, unsurprisingly, make notebooks but I haven’t tried those! Berlin Notebook Blue No. 1 (with sheen) also comes in a tiny 5ml bottle.
Read MoreIn late 2019 Desk Bandit released an A5 notebook that comes with a cover. There are lots of A5 notebooks out there so what sets this one apart from others? The notebook uses established fountain pen friendly 68gsm Tomoe River and a simply bound cardboard cover. But it does have some extras to it!
Thanks to Desk Bandit for sending this notebook in for review!
Read MoreNew TWSBI Inks (Wonder Pens) ✑ Nice look at the new standard TWSBI inks.
review: robert oster signature purple jazz (ink sharks) ✑ Not sure if purple is the right colour but it’s a nice ink!
Fountain Pen Review: Laban 300 Skeleton Fountain Pen in Rose Gold (The Well Appointed Desk) ✑ Pretty and much more affordable than the Montblanc’s but is it too derivative?
Finding joy in black ink (UK Fountain Pens) ✑ A simple look into exploring black ink. I had a similar impression about what a good black ink should be.
🄼🄸🄽🄸 🅁🄴🅅🄸🄴🅆🅂 On Instagram!
And more coming up (somewhat periodically)…
Pen Savings (12% off with MACCHIATOMAN) ✒︎ They have a three-piece of the Monteverde show exclusives for sale. The Blue is great and the ora age and teal look interesting! My go to place for US inks such as Organics Studio, Noodler’s, Monteverde, and Private Reserve. My favourites are Noodler’s Black Swan in Australian Roses, Golden Brown, Navy and Turquoise as well as Private Reserve Avocado!
Desk Bandit ✒︎ Recently started stocking the new LE Aurora inks which are nicer than I expected!. Sailor’s 100 Ink Studio inks are available for international sales here! Also the only place I know that stocks Carpink!
Pen Classics ✒︎ TWSBI’s yellow ECO, Papier Plume inks and Berlin Blue are now for sale now. Berlin Blue is a very pretty colour (review coming soon).
La Couronne do Comte (10% off with MACCHIATOMAN10) ✒︎ The beautiful Leonardo Officina Italiana pens are now for sale. Make sure to check out the specials page as well (works with the code!)
Pen Chalet (10% off with MACCHIATOMAN) ✒︎ Some great sale prices on Platinum plus Pen Chalet’s Exclusive Colorverse ink set looks great!
Standard Bindery (10% off code: StandardMacchiato) ✒︎ Make sure to check out their new set of inks! that I showcased. They also have some high quality Tomoe River Traveler’s Notebook inserts that I use for my mini reviews on my instagram! As well they released some minimalistic letters and cards.
Standard Bindery have now released their second set of inks for fountain pens. Their first set released by Standard Bindery, when they were named Bookbinders Online, was the eight Snake Inks (two blue, brown, green, orange, grey, black and red). The new formulation is something that Standard Bindering are pretty excited about and their most extensive project to date. The new set of six inks are Canyon Walk, Stargaze, Old Friend, Road Trip, Clear Water and Luna Tone.
Read More