dip nib Archives - The Well-Appointed Desk https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/tag/dip-nib/ For the love of pens, paper, office supplies and a beautiful place to work Tue, 06 Jun 2023 19:48:11 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.2 https://i0.wp.com/www.wellappointeddesk.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/cropped-WADicon.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 dip nib Archives - The Well-Appointed Desk https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/tag/dip-nib/ 32 32 40314258 Pen Trends: Dip Nib Mania https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2023/06/pen-trends-dip-nib-mania/ https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2023/06/pen-trends-dip-nib-mania/#comments Tue, 06 Jun 2023 19:48:11 +0000 https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/?p=2126439605 A few weeks ago while browsing Yoseka Stationery, I noticed they had an MD Dip Pen (from Midori) listed. Curious about it, I added one to my cart to try. When I mentioned it to Ana, she noted she had both a Pilot Iro-Utushi and a Sailor Hocoro she was planning to review. I picked…

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A few weeks ago while browsing Yoseka Stationery, I noticed they had an MD Dip Pen (from Midori) listed. Curious about it, I added one to my cart to try. When I mentioned it to Ana, she noted she had both a Pilot Iro-Utushi and a Sailor Hocoro she was planning to review. I picked them up from her last week and so my review is a little compare and contrast of three new-ish dip nib pens on the market.

Dip nibs are not a new concept. In fact, they much more closely resemble some of the original quills and pens that didn’t have ink reservoirs from which to draw from. Imagine the old-time writer dipping a nib in ink, writing a few letters or words, and dipping again. Today, many folks use dip nibs to test a variety of inks, play with new nibs, or do quick sketches or drawings. I’m not aware of anyone who uses dip nibs as their primary writing instrument (maybe Michael Sull with his Spencerian Script).

So today I’ll be looking at three pens:

  • MD Dip Pen ($28, purchased with my own funds from Yoseka Stationery)
  • Pilot Iro-Utushi (retails for $11-$26, given to Ana by Pilot USA)
  • Sailor Hocoro ($16.00, purchased with Ana’s funds from Yoseka Stationery)

MD Dip Pen

At the most expensive and weighty end of the spectrum, this all started with the MD Dip Pen from Midori. The pen is only available in a Medium nib as far as I can tell, and it isn’t removable. The pen body is plastic and weighs the most of the pens I tested at 11g. The length is comparable to the others.

The Pros: I like the weight of this one – though I know many prefer lighter pens, this one feels really lovely in my hand. It was probably middle of the road in terms of being able to write at length – sometimes I managed to get through a whole line, sometimes I needed to re-dip fairly quickly.

The Cons: The price. You can get the other dip nib pens for a bit cheaper, and even get some additional choice and functionality.

Pilot Iro-Utushi

This pen was the longest, and the tapered body was interesting looking. The pen is available with two nibs and two body choices. Opt for plastic for $11, or upgrade to wood at $26. The nib is not removable.

Pros: With two nibs and two body types to choose from (and a few colors available in each) you have some choice with this one. The plastic body puts it at the cheapest of the three models, and the nib was my favorite out of the three to write with.

Cons: The only con on this one for me is that the nib isn’t removable. It’s not unique in that, but if I could put other Pilot nibs in this body, I’d probably be inclined to invest in this one.

Sailor Hocoro

The Sailor Hocoro was the most interesting option that I tested. It’s available in 4 different nib types, including calligraphy nibs, which I tried. The most unique part of this pen is that the nibs are interchangeable. And they pop out and can be inverted (the nib fits into the hollow barrel) for storage. That makes this one the most versatile of your dip pen options I tried.

The Pros: The combo of the price and the versatility make this pen my top choice of the three I tested. It’s cute, provides easy on-the-go storage and is comfortable in the hand.

The Cons: The calligraphy nib was fun to play with but they most frustrating to use of all the nibs I tested. I think this is because it’s basically a stub nib, and lays down quite a bit of ink. It means that the ink was very inconsistent, and it ran out quite quickly, requiring lots of dipping. I’d love to test out the fine or fude nib.

My overall conclusion is that I have a limited use case for dip nib pens. I use them most often when doing ink reviews, as it allows me to show how the ink would appear in a variety of thicknesses, and exhibit shading and sheening if it has any. I have tested a few dip nibs in the past, and tend to stick with my tried and true Delike Glass Signature Pen (spoiler: it’s not really glass). What I love about it is the ability to switch the nibs out, and that the glass nib holds a bunch of ink, meaning I don’t have to dip as frequently.


DISCLAIMER: Some of these items in this post were purchased with my own funds, others were provided for free or at discounted cost for the purposes of review. Please see the About page for more details.

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The DRILLOG v. 2 Machined Dip Nib (& Graft Spirl Barrel) https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2022/07/the-drillog-v-2-machined-dip-pen-graft-spirl-barrel/ https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2022/07/the-drillog-v-2-machined-dip-pen-graft-spirl-barrel/#respond Mon, 18 Jul 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/?p=2126434006 The first launch of the DRILLOG on Kickstarter ended in November 2021 to much hype and fanfare. Many people were excited by the machined metal dip nibs as a unique and durable alternative to glass, plastic or the classic, bent metal, dip nibs.  To continue the excitement, this month, on Kickstarter, they launched a new…

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The first launch of the DRILLOG on Kickstarter ended in November 2021 to much hype and fanfare. Many people were excited by the machined metal dip nibs as a unique and durable alternative to glass, plastic or the classic, bent metal, dip nibs.  To continue the excitement, this month, on Kickstarter, they launched a new v.2 version of the DRILLOG pen barrels and new nibs.

The DRILLOG products have been created by folks at Shion, a Japanese factory specializing in precision metal processing. They have manufactured aircraft parts in the past so they clearly have machining down to a science. The company currently operates two product brands: NEIGHBOR & CRAFTSMAN, a brand based on the theme of comfortable neighbors and DRILLOG, a brand that pursues the possibilities of writing instruments.

Drillog Vol. 2

I was sent a sample of the DRILLOG graft spiral barrel/grip section (approx. $94USD) and a 0.5mm dip nib (approx. $95USD) making the total reward cost $189USD plus any shipping fees.

The Graft Spiral barrel/grip section is extremely tiny.

Capped (closed): 77mm (3.125″)
Posted: 111mm (4.425″)
Nib & grip section: 65mm (2.625″)

The rear section with the holes (assumedly for attaching to a key chain or carabiner) can be unscrewed and replaced with a full length body section that either matches the grip section or not. A plain aluminum, full-length barrel is about $102USD. For the full length “Classical Spiral” to match the Spiral Graft grip section on the model I received, is about $118USD.  The spiral pattern on the grip section makes it wider than some of the other grip options and creates natural divots for your fingers.

Drillog Vol. 2

The model configuration that I tested weighs 20gms capped or posted. It is not usable unposted since it threads into the barrel at the grip section.

Drillog Vol. 2

I placed the Pilot Custom 912 next to the DRILLOG for size comparison.

Writing Tests:

I received the 0.5mm nib for testing which is considered comparable to a EF nib. I find this to be a fair comparison. I was able to write for a good long while before needing to dip again. I tested several different types of ink to see if different brands behaved differently with the metal nib. I did notice a slightly wider line with a wetter ink but nothing too shocking.

I know that some people who received samples or early versions of the DRILLOG nibs from the first Kickstarter had some issue with ink flow. The nib I received came with some care instructions that clearly outlined the likelihood that oils (particularly HAND oils) and debirs can build up in the fine grooves in the nib and the best course of action is to start off by handling the nib as little as possible. If you do start to run into issues, they recommend cleaning it carefully and using a toothbrush or other small, gentle brush to remove dirt, dried ink or other debris from the grooves. I think a nice trip through an ultrasonic cleaner with a little pen flush would probably also be useful if you run into any ink retention issues.

One of the interesting discoveries I made while testing the DRILLOG nib and barrel was that once the nib was loaded with ink, I could lay it almost flat onto the paper and use the nib to apply a swathe of ink on the page. This discovery made ink swatching an even easier task. Dip the DRILLOG nib, lay it along your paper or Col-o-ring card to apply a large patch of color, then dip again to write the name of the ink. Dip the nib into water to clean, wipe with a clean towel and start your next swatch sample. Easy peasy!

The prices are approximate as the USD to Japanese Yen rate may vary between the time of selecting a reward and when the fees are processed. This Kickstarter project has two weeks left and is already fully funded.The prices are approximate as the USD to Japanese Yen rate may vary between the time of selecting a reward and when the fees are processed. This Kickstarter project has two weeks left and is already fully funded.

Final Thoughts:

The DRILLOG project is very unique and definitely ushers in a new era is dip pens. It’s a very modern alternative to the dip pens of the past. Is it better? That’s hard to say definitively. It’s certainly a pricier option to the $7 Speedball nib holder and $2 nib. That said, this is definitely designed for an audience comfortable with spending $200+ on a fountain pen who is looking for a modern maker answer to the question “How should I test/play with my inks?” Which side are you on?


DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by Scion for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

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Two Dip Nib Pens Enter… https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2022/04/two-dip-nib-pens-enter/ https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2022/04/two-dip-nib-pens-enter/#respond Fri, 01 Apr 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/?p=2126433101 Moonman Capped Green Swirl “Glass Nib” Dip Pen The Moonman Capped Green Swirl Dip Pen ($16) is an acrylic barrel “glass nib” dip pen with a cap. I have a couple other pens of similar design that I’ve purchased on Ebay over the years. The Moonman version has a removable nib unit that will accommodate…

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Moonman Capped Green Swirl “Glass Nib” Dip Pen

The Moonman Capped Green Swirl Dip Pen ($16) is an acrylic barrel “glass nib” dip pen with a cap. I have a couple other pens of similar design that I’ve purchased on Ebay over the years. The Moonman version has a removable nib unit that will accommodate a Moonman fountain pen nib unit as well just like their N6 model.

The Moonman Dip Pen uses an acrylic nib. It’s not glass. There are some advantages to the acrylic nib dip pens — the tips always seem smoother on paper than glass nibs, they can often survive a tumble unscathed and are often much less expensive than true glass.

All that said, acrylic nib “glass pens” have a fatal flaw. The material is ever-so-slightly soft and is therefore prone to getting deformed due to heat, hand pressure or just manufacturing issues. This particular pen has some serious issue with flow and consistent flow. It would continually hard start, even in the middle of a sentence. If rotated, it would not write. It had ONE sweet spot. I cannot say that this issue would happen with every pen but it happened with this one. So as much as I’d like to praise this pen and talk about how wonderful it was — it wasn’t. It was frustrating, irritating and generally disappointing. I’ll probably pop a Moonman fountain pen nib unit into it and use it for ink testing that way but this “glass nib” is going in the trash.

Kemmy’s Labo Petal Corset EF Glass Dip Pen

For starters, as much as I fuss about overly fussy pen packaging, the Kemmy’s Labo Corset EF Glass Dip Pen ($48) is on the opposite end of the spectrum. This plain paper board box with grey foam inside is the saddest looking packaging I’ve seen. Particularly with glass pens which are often stored in their boxes for protection, this is the one case where I think slightly more aesthetic and durable materials should have been used in the packaging.

The pen comes with a glass dot pen rest. It’s not super useful as it is tiny and I had a bit of trouble figuring out how to best place the pen securely but its a nice add-on.

The model I purchased is not the most aesthetic looking pen, IMHO. It looks like a snake that just ate his meal, if I’m honest. It feel fine in the hand, particularly if you prefer larger pens in general. I wanted to see if this bulbous design would change my writing experience at all. Mostly, I don’t find myself reaching for it often because I think it’s kind of ugly.

On the upside Kemmy’s Labo offers their REAL GLASS dip pens in a variety of nib widths (EF, F, M, and B). Since i tend to prefer EF and F fountain pens, I thought the Kemmy’s Labo EF glass pen would give me the most similar results to my usual tools.

Of course, I didn’t consider the fact that EF nibs, particularly in a glass pen would be particularly scratchy, even on Rhodia paper. While if wrote at all angles and pretty consistently as long as their was still ink in the grooves, the writing experience was not particularly pleasant. Scratchy on Rhodia means the Kemmy’s Labo on more textured paper like Col-o-ring feels like I’m off-roading with a city bike. The tool is not accommodating the paper terrain.

Final Thoughts

I would not recommend the Moonman Capped Dip Nib Pen. I don’t know why these do not perform as well as other acrylic “glass nibs” but two-out-of-two disappointing results makes me very hesitant to recommend it, even for experimental purposes. With Kemmy’s Labo, I would recommend trying the F or broader in hopes of a slightly smoother writing experience. I like extra fine nibs and even I find the EF too sharp.

Jaclyn did a more in-depth review of several glass dip pens awhile back if you are looking for other options and opinions. Laura also reviewed the Moonman N6 and had a disappointing experience with the dip nib as well, though for slightly different reasons.

So, my bottom line, is that two dip pens enter and they both leave. I might occasionally use the Kemmy’s Labo but the Moonman nib is not staying at all.


DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this review were provided free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

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Dip Pen Review: Moonman N6 Fountain Pen with Extra Fine Fude Nib and Glass Dip Nib https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2021/09/dip-pen-review-moonman-n6-fountain-pen/ https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2021/09/dip-pen-review-moonman-n6-fountain-pen/#comments Tue, 07 Sep 2021 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/?p=2126430864 Many weeks ago I was browsing JetPens (like you do) and I was stopped in my scrolling by the words “fude nib.” For those not in the know, a fude nib is a nib where the tip is somewhat bent. This means that depending on the angle at which you are holding the pen, you’ll…

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Many weeks ago I was browsing JetPens (like you do) and I was stopped in my scrolling by the words “fude nib.” For those not in the know, a fude nib is a nib where the tip is somewhat bent. This means that depending on the angle at which you are holding the pen, you’ll see distinct line variation. I was ridiculously thrilled by the idea and immediately ordered the Moonman N6 Fountain Pen with an Extra Fine Fude nib/Glass dip nib in Iris Blue Swirl ($21).

Now what I didn’t read was the fine, or not so fine print, that the fude nib was an extra fine. When I discussed the purchase with Ana, she informed me that since it was a nib that was bent to be an extra fine, I probably wouldn’t get the results I was looking for. However, it wasn’t an expensive purchase so I decided to wait and see what I got.

I have a few dip nib pens and I enjoy playing with them, but I find they really shine when I want to sample inks. Years ago I bought a dip nib pen on ebay that came with a glass nib and 5 other interchangeable nibs (XF, F, M, B, XB) and I have used those with a fair amount of success to this day.

So let’s start by talking about what you’re getting when you buy a glass nib. When you’re investing in a more expensive model of pen, you might be getting a true glass nib. For these less expensive versions, you’re most likely getting a clear acrylic nib. The nib itself may be a variety of shapes (often bulbous or swirling) and will have lines etched in the sides of the nib. When you dip the glass nib in an ink bottle, these grooves will hold more ink than a standard nib, enabling you to write for longer on a single ink dip.

For this particular N6, I admit I’m a little disappointed in the glass nib. For starters, it isn’t as thin as my Delike Glass Signature Pen, and I really like the thin lines I can get with that one. Second, this one has a few imperfections. In the photo above I managed to capture where there’s extra acrylic – it didn’t come out of the mold cleanly? And there’s another small section where there appears to be a chip. Neither of these imperfections really affect the performance of the glass nib itself. They might possibly result in less ink being held in the channels, but of course I’m just using the tip to write with. That said, it was a bit disappointing.

For the extra fine fude nib, it’s a nice nib that wrote cleanly and fairly thin (more like a western extra fine, but that’s ok). There is a definite angle to it, and that will take a little playing with to get used to. I do appreciate that this particular pen also includes a converter, meaning if you want to use this pen as an everyday writer with the fude nib, you can fill it with ink. My other dip pen has a purely decorative handle; no room for storing ink.

So overall, I would say you could probably skip the N6 unless you’re interested in trying out an inexpensive dip pen.


DISCLAIMER: Some of the items included in this review were provided to us free of charge for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

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Dip Pen Review: Victorian Trading Company Dip Pens https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2021/08/dip-pen-review-victorian-trading-company-dip-pens/ https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2021/08/dip-pen-review-victorian-trading-company-dip-pens/#comments Mon, 09 Aug 2021 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/?p=2126430532 I was given the opportunity to dig through our inventory of pen samples and review everything currently in stock at Victorian Trading Company. I’ve decided to break this into two posts: today will be the dip pen assortment and tomorrow will be the ballpoint pens. At present, Victorian Trading Company  is not carrying any gel…

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I was given the opportunity to dig through our inventory of pen samples and review everything currently in stock at Victorian Trading Company. I’ve decided to break this into two posts: today will be the dip pen assortment and tomorrow will be the ballpoint pens. At present, Victorian Trading Company  is not carrying any gel pens or fountain pens but, as part of the new product development staff, our goal is to change that.

First up is the Brontë Bone Dip Pen & Stand ($29.95). This set is a beautiful, embellished brass pen stand with a bone handled dip pen with gold hardware.

The stand will work just as well with other pens in your collection and is weighted nicely to support a range of pens without tipping over when you reach for your writing instrument.

The nib that shipped with the holder is unlabelled and was a very firm nib. I chose to skip the nib and replace it with a titanium Zebra G dip nib ($27.50 for 10) — my go-to dip nib.

While the Zebra G nib is a bit more curved, it fit into the grip housing with little effort. I had more trouble getting the original nib out and had to use a piece of rubber to get a good grip and pull it out (pro-tip!).

Once I had the Zebra G nib in place, I took a flame to the tip to remove any oils from the nib and increase ink adherence. (photo above is before I took a flame to it).

Since the pen did not ship with any specific ink, I tested it using the closest bottle of ink I had: Montblanc Beatles Psychedelic Purple (which I bought at the recent Patreon-only sale from Gentleman Stationer). The holder is long like a paint brush and fairly slender which may not be to everyone’s tastes. The cost for the set, however, seems to largely be for the holder, not the nib holder. If you’re looking for a beautiful decorative pen rest, it would be worth it to purchase this set just for the stand.

The next set is the Crimson Tidings Dip Pen Set (on sale now for $19.99). The set includes a glass dip pen with a decorative brass grip section and a “pointy finger” nib. The set also includes a bottle of Calligraphy Ink (do not use in fountain pens). On the interior of the box is a wax seal marked “Le Seal” but there is no other branding on the set. After some research, I was able to determine that the pen set is from Hong Kong.

The pen holder body is a blown glass with silver foil inlaid under the clear glass and below the silver is a bright candy apple red.  The decorative brass grip adds weight the the “business end” so if you have a light hand, the weight will help create a thicker, darker line without adding pressure. It will all be from the weight of the pen.

As a lefty, I figured out quickly that the pointy finger nib is a right hand and after using it for a bit, I felt like the nib was flipping off everything I wrote. Luckily, its easy to swap out the dip nib with your favorite non-opinionated nib should you want to do that.

Even though the nib was a bit odd, it wrote quite well. It is a good deal stiffer nib than my preferred Zebra G but it still provided some flex. If you have a heavy hand, this might be the amusing swatching nib of your dreams. I tested the Calligraphy Ink that shipped with the set which is a warm brown/sepia color. The calligraphy ink is a bit looser in feeling than the fountain pen ink I’m used to using. When I say “looser” I mean its wetter, more fluid feeling — fountain pen ink often has more surface tension, IMHO.

The last set currently in stock at Victorian Trading Company  is the “Steampunk Calligraphic PenSet” ($37.95). This set features a feather quill dip pen with a brass decorative grip section and two bottles of Calligraphy Ink in black and amaranth (red). On the box is the name “Lo Scarabeo” which turns out to be European company specializing in tarot and oracle cards. How delightful!

When I first saw the feather quill pen, I was skeptical that it was “all feather, no quill” but after I started using it, it turned out to be my favorite set.

The nib included in the set is a Leonardt 300 ($0.99 each) which is a decent, albeit a bit stiff for me, calligraphy nib. The shape of the grip section is a bit more oval than round which created a surprisingly comfortable grip even with the decorative details engraved in the grip section.

Once again, I swapped out the nib on the Steampunk Set with my tried-and-true Zebra G and tried the inks. The inks seemed to have the same bottle design and functional characteristics of the ink in the Crimson Tidings set.

If you’ve been looking for a fun, funky dip pen for ink testing or to practice your calligraphy, these options would definitely inspire you to write more and any of the three are functional. You just have to decide which design in your favorite.


DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by Victorian Trading Company for the purpose of review. I was not compensated to write this review (other than the fact that I am on their payroll). Please see the About page for more details.

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Dip Pen Review: Rohrer & Klingner Glass Pen https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2020/11/dip-pen-review-rohrer-klingner-glass-pen/ https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2020/11/dip-pen-review-rohrer-klingner-glass-pen/#comments Tue, 24 Nov 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/?p=2126427042 Even though I’m not terribly proficient at using them, I really do love a good glass dip nib pen. So when I saw that Jetpens had Rohrer and Klingner Glass Pens ($30) in stock, I was eager to give one a go. I chose the Blue and Copper version. The pen is super lightweight (approximately…

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Even though I’m not terribly proficient at using them, I really do love a good glass dip nib pen. So when I saw that Jetpens had Rohrer and Klingner Glass Pens ($30) in stock, I was eager to give one a go. I chose the Blue and Copper version.

The pen is super lightweight (approximately 17g) and is handcrafted in Germany. No two are quite the same; they may vary a bit in pattern, texture and tip width.

If you’ve never used a glass dip nib they’re tons of fun! Grab a bottle of ink, a notepad and your pen to get started. Open the bottle of ink and dip the nib of the pen in, swirling a bit to let in gather in the grooves. Then settle down to write. As you write, if the ink starts to fade a bit, gently twirl the pen to allow the other grooves to drain towards the nib. See how long you can write with just one dip in the ink!

This particular pen is approximately 7.25″ (18.5cm) long. It fits comfortably in my hand. So far the only thing I’m still playing with is exactly how get some line variation by adjusting the nib angle in my strokes. This nib isn’t as fine as another glass nib that I have (my other is technically acrylic as well!), but it’s of much better quality. The nice thing about glass nibs is that as long as you’re careful with them, they’ll last forever!

If you’re looking for something fun to play with, or to add to your wishlist for the season, try one of these!

DISCLAIMER: Some of the items included in this review were provided to us free of charge for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

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Inky Previews for Inktober https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2020/10/inky-previews-for-inktober/ https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2020/10/inky-previews-for-inktober/#respond Fri, 09 Oct 2020 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/?p=2126426338 Preview by Tina Koyama Although I’m not following any prompts or even using group hashtags this year, I decided to participate in Inktober by continuing my ongoing series of daily hand drawings in ink. (I started the series in March in response to the pandemic; you can read about it here. Sketches are posted daily…

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Preview by Tina Koyama

Although I’m not following any prompts or even using group hashtags this year, I decided to participate in Inktober by continuing my ongoing series of daily hand drawings in ink. (I started the series in March in response to the pandemic; you can read about it here. Sketches are posted daily on Instagram.) In the upcoming weeks, I’ll be reviewing several inky products that I’ve been using, but I thought I’d give you a preview now while Inktober is still young, in case you want to give them a try!

Dip pens have never been my forte, and the last time I used one to draw was when I took a pen and ink class several years ago. So it was with some trepidation that I dipped the first Tokyo Slider Nikko Comic nib into a bottle of ink. I’m used to juicy, broad nib fountain pens and soft, forgiving pencils – the fine nibs in this set woke me up!

Regular readers of this blog may recall that I have a penchant (AKA obsession) for brush pens of all kinds. I found one I still hadn’t tried – the Pentel Pigment Ink Brush Pen with an extra-fine tip – so of course, I had to.

Boku-Undo E-Sumi watercolor inks look and act like watercolor paints, but they are actually tinted sumi inks. These are fun! The lovely, muted “shadow black” tones don’t show up well on the colored sketchbook pages I have been using for my hand drawings, but I’ll show you the colors on white paper in the full review. I’m using them with a Pentel Design Fude Menso brush with a very fine tip.

Stay tuned for the full reviews. What are you using for Inktober?


Tina Koyama is an urban sketcher in Seattle. Her blog is Fueled by Clouds & Coffee, and you can follow her on Instagram as Miatagrrl.

 

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Eye Candy: Dip Nib Pen https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2020/08/eye-candy-dip-nib-pen/ https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2020/08/eye-candy-dip-nib-pen/#comments Tue, 25 Aug 2020 18:29:06 +0000 https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/?p=2126425706 Last year at the Arkansas Pen Show (it feels like ages ago!) I purchased a dip nib pen second hand from one of the vintage sellers. It came in a Papier Plume box, though I don’t see it available on their site now. Lately I’ve had fun playing with the pen. I do use a…

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Last year at the Arkansas Pen Show (it feels like ages ago!) I purchased a dip nib pen second hand from one of the vintage sellers. It came in a Papier Plume box, though I don’t see it available on their site now.

Lately I’ve had fun playing with the pen. I do use a dip pen to swatch new inks, but I use a glass nib (technically acrylic) along with interchangeable mobs in various sizes (extra fine through extra broad).

Overall, I think I prefer the glass nib because it holds so much more ink, but I do get some fun line variation with this one.

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Pen Review: Pentastic CxPO Brass Folded Nibs for Testers https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2020/06/pen-review-pentastic-cxpo-brass-folded-nibs-for-testers/ https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2020/06/pen-review-pentastic-cxpo-brass-folded-nibs-for-testers/#comments Mon, 22 Jun 2020 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/?p=2126424805 Last weekend, I went to Kansas for the weekend to hang out with two fellow pen nerds, Jesi and Jaclyn. We played with the Pentastic folded nibs a lot. It inspired me to show these to you, my lovely readers. I have been using the Toronto Pen Company Pentastic CxPO brass folded nibs (C$40.00) designed…

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Last weekend, I went to Kansas for the weekend to hang out with two fellow pen nerds, Jesi and Jaclyn. We played with the Pentastic folded nibs a lot. It inspired me to show these to you, my lovely readers.

I have been using the Toronto Pen Company Pentastic CxPO brass folded nibs (C$40.00) designed for tester bottles (sample vials) since the Toronto Pen Show in 2018. These brass folded nibs were designed to fit into standard dip pen holders and made small enough to fit into most fountain pen ink sample containers.

Folded nibs are dipped into ink like a dip nib and then are applied to paper at various angles to create various stroke widths. They require some experimentation to find the “sweet spot” to get the best flow and the look you want. Some people like to get lots of line variation, others prefer more of a calligraphic look and some like the occasional spatter or bloop that might happen.

Depending on what paper is used, or what ink, folded nibs are far more likely to bleed or feather because folded nibs lay down a lot more ink than a dip nib. Folded nibs are not flexible but, because the surface area is broad and smooth, the line width can vary as a result of the large open slot that allows ink to flow out.

pentastic CxPO brass folded nibs

To demonstrate how the nibs work, I tried three different papers, both nibs and two shades of the Sailor North America Ink Series: Colorado and California. The first paper I tried was Rhodia Uni Bloc No. 18 Blank ($13.75), my standard pen and ink testing paper. The folded nibs definitely laid down more ink than the Rhodia paper could handle in this case. I didn’t find this the case with all the inks I tried over the weekend but these inks are pretty wet. Just so you know. The blobbing and feathering occurred most often at the moments when I had to dip my pen.

pentastic CxPO brass folded nibs

The next stock I tried was a mixed media sketchbook, the Bee Paper Aquabee Super Deluxe 9″x12″ Sketchbook ($15.59), which also had some bleeding and feathering issues when the ink was heaviest. Again, it was probably most likely when I had just dipped for more ink. The ink colors look better though. The nib on the left created the thinner lettering on the top two lines and the nib on the right created the lettering on the bottom two lines.

pentastic CxPO brass folded nibs

Finally, I used the Col-o-ring OVERSIZE ($15) and the Colorado ink and BOOM! I wasn’t really expecting it to outperform the Aquabee paper. I swear. I wasn’t trying to make a pitch for our little notebooks. But the proof is in the pudding, which in this case is a lot of sheen and no feathering.  Paper performance aside, the top lettering was done with the folded nib shaped like a butter knife (the nib on the right in the photo above) and the wider lettering at the bottom was done with the folded nib shaped more like a palette knife (the nib on the left with the flat end).

As for the nib holders, the black holder is labeled “Free Penholder” and I have no idea where it came from. The other is one of my favorites as you can tell by the accumulated ink stains. It’s a Tachikawa Comic Pen Nib Holder Model 40 ($8.25). It’s a blonde wood with a soft rubberized grip. If you don’t have a dip pen holder, buy this one. You won’t regret spending a couple extra dollars but you won’t have to empty the bank account.

What we discovered over the weekend was that the Pentastic Folded Nibs were great fun for using up ink and paper. We wrote out quotes, the silly things we said and the ridiculous things the kids said. It was fun to practice our lettering, let loose and play and make a mess. You definitely have to be ready to cut loose and be messy. But it’s great fun and the Pentastic nibs are well made and tons of fun.

DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this review were provided free of charge for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

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Bortoletti Entwined Glass Murano Glass Dipping Pen With Glass or Metal Nib https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2020/04/bortoletti-entwined-glass-murano-glass-dipping-pen-with-glass-or-metal-nib/ https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2020/04/bortoletti-entwined-glass-murano-glass-dipping-pen-with-glass-or-metal-nib/#comments Tue, 14 Apr 2020 17:46:43 +0000 https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/?p=2126423715 Over the last few years I’ve come to love my dip nib pen. I use it for all my ink testing because I love the way I can change the nibs easily in the pen and see inks over wide variety of line types. This is to say that I have long coveted one of…

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Over the last few years I’ve come to love my dip nib pen. I use it for all my ink testing because I love the way I can change the nibs easily in the pen and see inks over wide variety of line types. This is to say that I have long coveted one of Papier Plume’s Bertoletti Entwined Glass Murano Dipping Pens ($42+), so I was excited when Ana loaned me hers to play with.

The Bertoletti glass pens are hand-crafted in Italy, and come in a variety of colors of entwined glass. Mine is the Alexandrite color. The grip section is a nickel-metal alloy with an elegant design of flourishes. Despite the scroll work, it is comfortable to hold, and the glass itself is well-balanced. The glass pen comes standard with a metal nib or you can upgrade to a glass nib (+ $12) or get both (+ $14).

I spent the most time playing with the dip nib, which is very fine with a bit of flex. I used a bottle of Papier Plume Ivy Green that I already had to play with lettering and flourishes as well as my sad little attempt at sketching an ivy leaf.

Truthfully, I found the glass nib a bit harder to play with. The glass nib has swirling channels in it, designed to hold the ink so you can keep writing. I have an acrylic nib in a different dip pen that I use quite often and I love how long I can write with it, but I didn’t quite find my sweet spot with this one (It took me a while with the other one as well, so I can’t say that it’s a fault of the pen … probably user error!)

I was also a bit disappointed in how the nib + ink + paper worked together. I was writing in a Maruman Mnemosyne N182A Inspiration Notebook. Though I haven’t had problems with that paper in the past, you can see that the ink feathered quite a bit.

Regardless, I loved playing with this pen and I may need to own one for future exploration!


DISCLAIMER: Some of the items included in this review were provided to us free of charge for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

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