Robert Oster is a company that manufactures a single product: fountain pen ink. These vibrant inks come in many different colors, and quite a few of them have a nice sheen.
Robert Oster Fire and Ice is a darker turquoise ink with a deep red sheen. It sells for about $17.00 in most stores. Because this is an ink review, there will be less writing and more photography. So, let’s cut to the chase!
This ink comes in a nice, tall 50 ml bottle with a bright gold sticker on the front. On this sticker is the name of the brand and a few other small items, such as the bottle size and the company’s catchphrase. On top of the large black cap is a white sticker that displays a small sample of the color.
For this review, I used a Rhodia 5×5 grid notebook and a J. Herbin glass dip pen (my current controls for paper and pen). In finer lines, the ink looks very dark, almost black but, as the lines widen, the ink begins to look more turquoise with a red sheen around the edges.
The picture above is a wonderful example of this ink’s red sheen. The version on the right is brightened so the sheen is even more visible.
The picture above is another good example of this ink’s sheen, but this time in letters. The edges of the word “Robert” clearly have a reddish tint, which provides for a great effect in one’s writing.
Dry time of just over 25 seconds
This ink, as I mentioned earlier, is just on the wetter side of the spectrum, with a fairly average dry time of barely over 25 seconds. It’s just a bit dryer than Diamine Oxford Blue.
I recently took out some of my blunt tip syringes and shot some of this ink into an empty Pilot cartridge, which I put into a 6.0mm Pilot Parallel to try it out in wider lines. I found that this photo was a great representation of this ink’s color. Even with this wide nib, I noticed very little bleeding and no feathering whatsoever on Rhodia paper.
However, on standard 8×11 printer paper, the ink is a mess. The feathering and bleeding are both out of control. This is clearly an ink intended for use only on fountain pen friendly paper.
I am a big fan of this ink. It is wonderful for anyone who likes a darker turquoise to teal ink, or for anyone interested in sheening inks. I’m actually going to stop giving inks ratings out of 5 stars, as they are so based upon personal preference. I like this ink a lot, though, as it is a wonderful color with a great sheen. This ink is available here on Goulet.
Sailor is a very interesting fountain pen company. They introduce more limited and special edition pens a year than any other pen manufacturer, and they are always looking for new and interesting designs. The late Mr. Nagahara of Sailor was arguably the most skilled and ingenious nib makers and designers ever to live. One of Sailor’s most popular pen models, the 1911, is a pen that most fountain pen enthusiasts will be familiar with. It is a staple in the pen community, with its classic body style and immensely popular nib. The 1911 Large comes with a 21 karat gold nib, one of the highest nibs in gold content available today. The 1911 Large (L) sells for around $280, while the Standard (S) sells for between $150 and $200. The Sailor 1911 Tangerine is a special edition Sailor pen sporting one of the most vibrant colors that the 1911 has to offer.
Let me begin by discussing the appearance of the pen itself. The 1911 Large is a larger pen (hence the name) with a cigar-shaped body. Every inch of the pen is a beautiful orange color with a glossy finish, with the exception of the chrome trim (which includes the trim ring, clip, and center band). The chrome nib leans towards the larger side, with classic Sailor nib engravings adorning it. The pen is slightly over 5 inches long when capped, and a just a tiny bit longer when posted. It is around 4.5 inches when uncapped and unposted. As far as appearance goes, that’s just about all I have to say. Besides the great color of this pen, the body is fairly stereotypical.
Now for some technical aspects: The pen is a cartridge/converter filler, and it comes with two Sailor cartridges as well as one Sailor converter. It is a relatively light fountain pen, as it is made of resin. The grip is a little slippery, as it is a glossy pen, but this matters very minimally in the overall performance of the instrument. The cap is a screw on (as many in this price range will be), and the clip is, well… normal. It’s a long clip, rounded at the end, and frankly, it’s about as simple as clips get.
The best word to describe the packaging of this pen is fine. As with most 1911s in this price range, the pen comes in an inexpensive fake leather box, which has a grey velvet platform inside. Underneath this removable platform is the small user’s guide and two Sailor black ink cartridges (standard international size). The pen is held down with an elastic band and a ribbon. Sailor is printed in gold lettering on the top and inside the lid of the box. For the price of this pen, I would expect more from the box. Although some other pens in this range come in similar boxes, others such as the Pilot Custom 823 or the Pelikan 400 come in much nicer, more extravagant packages that really match the price point of the pen. This one needs some work.
And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for: the nib! Sailor pens are essentially caddies for the Sailor nibs (with the exception of Maki-Es and other limited editions), as the nibs are the main attraction. Sailor nibs are known for their outstanding writing experience and are some of the finest factory nibs available. After trying the 21k gold nib in medium-fine, I can only agree that the writing experience of the Sailor nib is like no other. The MF nib is smooth with a moderate amount of feedback, which provides for an almost pencil-like writing experience (the MF nib will have more feedback than a 21k M or B). The 21k gold nib is quite flexible for a non-flex nib. Just by looking, the line variation is easily 2×. This nib is fun to play with, but also great for everyday writing. A long writing session with this nib would be a breeze. Any fountain pen collector or connoisseur should try to get their hands on one of these. In my opinion, it is a must-have in the fountain pen world.
And below is a writing sample using the 1911 MF nib with Jentle Blue-Black (review coming soon). Pardon my handwriting. I noticed that when flexing, railroading is a possibility (seen in the second and third loops). Also note that the nib can be flexed wider than I chose to flex it below, but I was not looking to push its boundaries too far and possibly damage it.
I would recommend the Sailor 1911 to anyone who is ready to get serious in the world of fountain pens. It is a great next-next level pen, for those who are ready to become hardcore collectors or connoisseurs. It is also a great choice for anyone looking for a gold nib EDC with a little more flex (though the 1911S is a better EDC pen than the L in my opinion). The body is simple but effective, and the nib is up there with the best of them. I give the Sailor 1911 Large Royal Tangerine 5 stars because although the packaging leaves something to be desired, the pen itself is outstanding. If you decide to bring this pen to work, though, be careful not to drool when looking at the nib! The 1911 L Tangerine is available here on Goldspot.
Tune in for upcoming posts! I assure you that some posts worth mentioning will be coming out soon.
Happy New Year, everyone! For my first post of 2019, I decided to review one of the most classic inks that I own: Diamine Oxford Blue.
Founded in 1864, Diamine is an English company that manufactures ink. From ink pads to shimmering fountain pen ink, Diamine makes it all. Diamine is a respected company in the fountain pen world for their numerous calligraphy and fountain pen inks, and for the diversity of the ink they manufacture. Oxford Blue is an ink in their fountain pen ink series.
The reddish sheen is very visible in the upper left hand corner of this inkblot.
Diamine Oxford blue is a deep navy color, with a black and reddish sheen. It is a wetter ink, and has a relatively average dry time of about 30 seconds (with J. Herbin glass dip pen and Rhodia Blank notepad). As a lefty who prefers drier inks, this dry time is a bit slow for me, as I might smudge the ink when writing. A darker blue ink, Oxford Blue is perfect for formal writing projects or for signatures. It is a beautiful ink, with the noticeable dark sheen, but simple enough that it is not a distraction. Just a note- I loaded this ink into a TWSBI Eco demonstrator a while back, and as of today I detect no flow problems.
As you can see, with a finer nib this ink looks almost black.
Dry time of about 30 seconds.
Now for the bottle. All 30 ml inks (as of January 1, 2019) come in a clear plastic bottle with multiple stickers adorning the sides. The rectangular body merges up into the black cap, which screws on and off of the cylindrical mouth of the bottle.
Diamine Oxford blue is a great choice for anyone who needs a simple yet beautiful ink. It is available for $15 in an 80 ml bottle, or in cartridges for around $10. It can also be purchased in a 30 ml bottle for a very reasonable $8. The 30 ml bottle is available here at Jetpens. I give this ink four stars, for being a little too wet for my lefty writing style, but a great blue color with a nice sheen. At its low price, I would recommend trying it.
Christmas has come and gone, which means it is time to review the pen-related gifts I received. I want to thank everyone kind enough to give me any gift, as I would not be able to keep this blog up and running without them.
A Chinese pen company, Jinhao manufactures many different models of affordable fountain pens. Among these is the 993 Shark Pen, a recent addition to the Jinhao collection. This instrument’s fun design and ridiculously affordable price make it a great everyday pen that one need not worry about losing.
The Shark pen is a sleek, lightweight plastic fountain pen. The screw-on cap features a low profile shark face and a small dorsal fin to keep the pen from rolling when placed on a surface. The body is a single plastic shell, the same color as the cap. Between these two pieces is the grip section, which is made of tinted, transparent plastic (on most color options). The grip section slopes slightly inwards towards the middle, with two inverted sections for the index and middle finger to rest in. This design allows for maximum comfort when writing. Underneath the cap is the hooded nib, the hood a matte-black plastic section that slopes down into the steel nib protruding from it. Because it is a hooded nib, it is quite small.
The inside of the pen is interesting. According to an outside source, this pen can, in fact, be turned into an eyedropper pen easily, which I intend to try in the next few days. From the factory, though, this pen comes with a converter. I was surprised to see this, as most pens within the price range of the Jinhao Shark Pen (around $4) will come with a single cartridge or be disposable.
Now for the packaging. I received a 12-pack of different colored shark pens, which came in a wide, cream-colored cardboard box with a shark and the Jinhao logo printed on the front. Inside of this box was another, almost exactly the same shape and size, but this time made of frosted plastic. The box contained twelve individual slots, each holding a single pen. Laid across the pens was a white foam board. The board was used to hold the pens in place as they traveled to my home. Overall, the packaging was what one should expect from a set of $4 fountain pens: It did its job, but was not much to present.
For its price, though, the shark pen performs quite well. The hooded nib writes smoothly enough and does not show even the faintest sign of skipping. As the nib is extra-fine, the lines that it puts down are thin and crisp. The nib is closer in flexibility to a nail than any other I have used as it is so small, but this reality is not necessarily a con. For those who like a stiffer nib, it is a great option. Additionally, the converter that comes with the pen holds a relatively large amount of ink.
My first impressions of the Jinhao 993 Shark Pen are, for the most part, very positive. It is a good writer, it is affordable, it looks fun, and it is very versatile. I give this pen four and a half stars, with a half-point missing simply because of the plastic (which tends to feel cheap in fountain pens.) For a $4 pen, though, it is one of the best I have used. I would recommend this pen to anyone looking to make their first eyedropper pen, as it is expendable at its low price, or to anyone looking for a fun, inexpensive starter pen. The Shark Pen is available here at Goulet Pens.
J. Herbin, founded in 1670, is a company specializing in fountain pen inks and sealing waxes. Although their main focus is ink, they do manufacture some writing instruments, including a series of hand-blown glass dip pens. These come in a variety of different colors and body shapes, all of which are beautiful pieces that are truly a joy to write with.
The J. Herbin glass dip pen comes in three different models: smooth frosted, spiral, and marbleized. Each model differs in shape and size from the others, and each comes in a variety of colors. I am currently in possession of a royal blue spiral pen, and it is truly a work of art. The body is completely made of spiraled blue glass that begins as a thick, four-sided prism fused to the grip section and twists upwards, becoming thinner the farther it gets from the tip of the pen. At the base of this body is the grip section, composed of two transparent bulbs that are connected just as two sections of an ant’s body are. Inside of the top bulb is an orange bubble (only available in spiral model). The tip of the pen is connected to the second of the two bulbs, and is made of clear glass that is spiraled sharply downwards to come to a point (see picture). This spiral shape was designed to hold the maximum amount of ink, as after the pen is dipped the ink rests in the grooves on the tip and slowly flows downwards as ink is used.
Dipped in Robert Oster Fire & Ice
This tip design is the same for all three models of pen, although the shape of the body and grip sections differ rather drastically between models. The smooth frosted model has a thin, cylindrical body and one bulb for a grip, while the marbleized model has a similar body shape as the spiral model, though without edges or spirals, and has a colorful pattern near the grip section. Visit this link to see the different pen models.
Now for the packaging. The pen comes in a black cardboard box that is slightly wider and longer than the writing instrument itself, covered with a clear plastic lid. The lid is sealed onto the box with two stickers, one on each side. Both long sides of the box tell J. Herbin’s story in gold print, one side in English and the other in French. The pen itself rests in a plastic tray. Personally, this was not the most impressive packaging job that I have ever seen on a pen, but for the price, it does its job.
Quite frankly, the J. Herbin glass dip pen performs well. It writes smoothly enough for a glass pen, and holds a large amount of ink for a dip pen (a few sentences worth). It is perfect for testing inks, as one simply has to wipe the tip with a wet paper towel to clean it, and it is also fun to use when embarking on short writing projects or when composing a letter. I would not recommend using it for long writing projects, simply because it will have to be dipped multiple times in the user’s ink. The pen sells for $25-$30, and can be purchased here at Goulet pens (in royal blue spiral, other colors are also available). This pen is great for those who need to test new inks regularly, or just for fun (and fun it is!). I give this pen five stars for being everything it should be, and more. It is beautiful, it performs well, and it is great for different uses.
Writing with Robert Oster Fire & Ice
Note: Recent fountain pen recognition! Check out this New York Times fountain pen article right here, published on December 26th.
The Pelikan 4100 ink line is Pelikan’s less expensive line of inks, after their revered Edelstein brand. The 4100 inks are still quality, respected inks, though, and are simple colors that work in any fountain pens. I recently picked up a bottle of the violet ink at my hometown pen store, Fahrney’s, and inked up my Pelikan M400.
Bottle: The 4001 Violet comes in a glass bottle in the shape of a trapezoidal prism with an arch on top that leads up the screw-on cap. (See picture below.) On the label is a pelican feeding it’s young (The Pelikan symbol), the name of the ink, and a small circle displaying the color.
Ink: The 4100 Violet ink is a nice, shading ink, something that is wet enough that it would make cheap paper miserable but looks very nice on a quality pad. On a Rhodia 5×5 grid notebook this ink looks great. The shading starts with a bright, cheery violet that is met with a deep purple when the nib is picked up off of the paper. This makes a very nice line and looks decent in any pen. The violet is dark enough to pass as a formal color, so this ink is an option for anyone who is not comfortable using a bright, colorful ink but is looking for a little something to spice up their writing. This ink, though, isn’t the deepest, most beautiful ink out there. It is a very nice violet, but is not as interesting as some colors available.
Cost: This ink retails at around $13-14, a lower priced ink, and can be purchased for less online.
So, overall, the Pelikan 4001 Violet ink is a nice purple ink that has some shading and looks good on nice paper. It is a rather simple ink, but sometimes simple is good. For anyone looking for a quality violet ink, click here for this ink on Goulet Pens.
Pelikan is a company well known in the fountain pen world for manufacturing some of the nicest, most reliable pens available to purchase. Centered out of Germany, Pelikan makes many different types of writing instruments, from art pastels to fountain pens. The M400 is one of Pelikan’s higher end instruments, one that I was given the chance to purchase at a reduced price. I have only used it a few times as of now, so here are my first impressions.
First, for the appearance. The Pelikan M400 is a medium sized fountain pen with a cylindrical body. Above and below the body are two rings, one that separates the body from the grip section, and one that separates it from the knob of the piston filler. The cap is screw on, and posts easily over the piston to make up for the fact that the pen itself is on the shorter side. The M400 nib is a dual tone nib, with a brilliant gold towards the front of the nib and a chrome behind it. Engravings of the Pelikan symbol and some crisscrossing lines form a pattern on the nib. The pen is available in several different color options, including a gold striped body and white cap/grip section with gold trim, a green striped body with a black cap/grip section and gold trim, a blue striped body and black cap/grip section with gold trim, and a special edition tortoiseshell brown striped body with a black cap/grip section and gold trim, among some others. On the top of the cap is a gold circle engraved with the Pelikan symbol, a pelican feeding its young, and the clip of the pen is a forward facing pelican head.
Now for the technical aspects. First, the filling system. In case anyone isn’t familiar with the iconic piston filler, I’ll lay it out right here. A piston filling system is a filling system in a fountain pen that utilizes the entire body as a house for the ink. It functions manually, as the user twists the end knob to extend the piston into the body until it is fully extended, and then twists in in the other direction to pull ink into the pen. The M400 piston system works like a charm, and the end knob does not come unscrewed if you post the cap. (which I do.) Because the body is translucent, if you hold the pen up to a light you can see the ink inside of the body, a beautiful and interesting feature. Additionally, the rivets above the grip, which is rather small, do not interfere at all with the writing experience, which is a major plus.
Onto the performance. The M400’s nib is 14k gold, and at its price range you probably expect a smooth writing experience. Pelikan gold nibs are not just smooth, though. They’re butter. German nibs are known for their quality and smoothness, and Pelikan does not deviate from this reputation. The experience of writing with this pen is easily one of the smoothest that I have ever had. The medium nib is on the wetter side. As of late December 2018, this pen has been sitting with ink in it for too long. After taking it out and trying it, there are no flow problems and no crusty ink.
I recommend the Pelikan M400 to anyone who is willing to spend a significant amount of money on a fountain pen or to anyone looking for a Pelikan pen to start out with. Do not purchase this pen for its retail price, $400! You can purchase it for $280 on multiple websites and at pen shows, which is the same price of the upgraded M200. Click here for the M400 on Pen Chalet.
