In 2017 I wrote my first “State of the Union” where I discussed ink brands, what they had done, and what I wanted them to do in 2018. In 2018 I did the same for 2019. This year’s has been delayed, unfortunately! I really want to get these out before the new year, but sometimes other things conspire against good timing! 2017 was 3,500 words, 2018 was 6,100 words and this year is 8,600 words! I made a PDF in case people find that easier to read!
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My Pen Collection 2019
Within the theme of my ink collection, this is my pen collection. Over a year and a half ago I wrote about my pen collection and while a lot has changed, the collection has only grown by around 10 (in this post and the previous I have not counted cheap $5 Chinese pens but I am ignoring the Noodler’s Creepers this time). Unlike with my ink collection, where if I buy an ink it doesn’t leave the collection, I don’t have have that rule with pens. If there’s a pen I’m not using that much or don’t love (and it’s worth my time selling it) then I will periodically trim these pens from my collection. Inks are rarely over $100 and selling them second hand isn’t really worth the hassle for me (and I don’t want to sell them for other reasons) but when you have a $200+ pen that is just sitting there it’s worth the effort freeing up funds for other pens I might want. Because of that while my Ink collection just keeps growing, my pen collection is quite fluid. I don’t regret buying pens and selling them, I appreciate the experience of owning them. With inks as well I like having them for comparisons! I remember Brad Dowdy on the Pen Addict podcast once mentioning (and I am paraphrasing) that the monetary loss from selling a pen (compared to what you paid) can be compared to the costs associated with renting a pen (I have no idea which episode).. This is something I have taken to heart.
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Ink Review: Sailor Ink Studio 935
in Ink Review
Last year when I traveled to Japan I generally wanted to avoid buying stuff I knew I could easily get outside Japan. This included Sailor Ink Studio which I had heard was eventually going to be available to retailers outside Japan. Nevertheless I still wanted to try them out so and I grabbed Ink Studio 935 and 941 as they caught my eye the most (it was still a difficult decision!). I love purples and this reminded me of Dark Lilac (one of my favourite every inks) so I think it was a good choice. If you are interested in how Ink Studio sits within the rest of the 100 total inks check out this extensive overview of all inks!
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State of the Union 2017: Fountain Pen Ink
The last few years really have been a renaissance for Fountain Pens and this year is no different. Lots of expansions and additions to lineups and several standout inks. I’m going to be talking about how various brands have performed this year and what I hope for next year. This will be, of course, focused on inks and not pens. I try to keep my posts as objective as possible but this one will probably have a bit more subjectivity than usual.
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