State of the collection - 2022
Eversince the channel started I have been avoiding topic that are related to showing of what I possess in the drawer - in the end they are just inanimate objects we choose to add our own arbitrary affection and spend our time with. But for some reasons people waste still fond of asking others about their own taste in collecting - well it's a given since the dawn of time us humans got to collect things in order to survive - so this article is dedicated to the dormant ink bottles and writing instruments that are in the collection as of December 2022.
Honorable mentions
This year saw the biggest clean out my collection has seen in a while, and I have to mention the departure of some of my old faithful such as the pair of Sailors 1911 Promenade F and ProGear Slim Z, a Montblanc Rouge et Noir, and ofcourse the most fond of - the Yardoled Viceroy Grand Barley. I would not mind doing a repurchase on any of them but the decisions to let them go came in just the right places at the right time, and there was also a sense of the contentment of what I have gotten out of them during the past years they had been in the stash.
The biggest seller's remorse award would no doubt goes to the Viceroy Grand - a touch one to let go as I would not be able to find one in Vietnam again in such a good condition for a long while, but I know it's in good hands and I can always meet up with the new owner at times for a good cup of coffee while my hands keep going at it- is this turning into an ex girlfriend reunion disaster? I wouldn't know, you guys tell me :)
Ink and paper
Hobonichi 5 Year Techo A5
This year saw the entry of a new favorite notebook - the Hobonichi 5 year Techo. When it first arrived, the immediate impression was “this was too much and the inner perfectionist in me would never write in it forever”. However, despite not filling in every single entry for 2022, I used it more than I should and I definitely feel grateful for stumping up a huge sum for just a notebook that would follow my writing journey for the next 4 years.
Tomoe River A5 Grid
Still a favorite and because of that I haven’t gone out of my way to fill out the rest of my TR with the old style paper. It’s mainly used for the gram and I feel like it’s a once-a-year kind of notebook. I’ve since tried the new TR paper and the result was a bit too close to even compare them, and I’d be adding the newer ones to the collection soon.
Life Noble Note A5 ruled
You get 80% of the Tomoe River experience for half the price, I’d say it’s a steal.
Midori Cotton
Still find itself in my bag from time to time, the Midori holds up quite well after 3 years of use. The cover has aged a little bit with stains, but I do like the roughed up look quite a bit. But taking into consideration the cost/quality ratio, the Midori does lose out this year to a few other contenders that I’ll be mentioning shortly.
Wearingeul Jacquere A5 lined Notebook and Swatch Cards
The line up from Korea definitely deserve a mention as they offer aesthetically pleasing designs paired with a handsome writing experience. I do like to come back to them for ink demonstration and swatching, definitely seeing more of them next year.
Hachiko Plain A5 Notebook
Promoted as a practice notebook for drawing and calligraphy, this one may not seem to fit the bill as a daily writing notebook - or so I thought. I’ve been raving about the A4 version with spencerian ruling, but now with the A5 spring bound as a daily writer, I can confidently plow though so many of them and not worry about the cost. My principles for notebooks have always been a 40:60 between cost and quality - the paper is a surface to write upon and unless the texture and quality is unbearable, I can get by with pretty much anything. The Hachiko fills in that role perfectly, and I’ll take the shameless shot by also plugging that you can purchase them directly from me and the webshop that would be available at awritingguy.com starting from January this year.
Inks
Well, this is going to be a photo dump with too many ink swatches and inconsistent lighting and edits, so if you are interested in any particular color, please do find a more detailed ink review (if I purposely attached the link on the photo of course).
The main bulk of the collection still circles around darker and more saturated shades such as blacks, blues and greys. I do find myself using warmer tones - brown and red - in the later months of the year, or it’s just my excuse for reviewing more Ferris Wheel Press stuff…yeah, I’ll go with that excuse #sorrynotsorry
p.s too many photos are embedded in this article so for the best reading experience I’ll make another article dedicated to the stash of ink by themselves. It will be linked here (when it comes out of course)
Writing Instruments
Not exclusively using fountain pens as I used to do in previous years, I’ve been letting some ballpoints back into the stash and I do find they have their places and times. Blasphemy, I know, but bear with me - people invented the ballpoints for reasons, and we can’t really deny their ease of use.
Montblanc 161
It's a ballpoint, but, it's among one of the best ballpoints. I do think my statement is somehow overexaggerated, but the thing about Montblancs is that they are good - not astonishingly good, but consistently good. With modern Montblancs, I've yet to encounter a refill that wouldn't write right off the seal, or a nib that was unusable.
The twist mechanism feels solid, without that sort of hollow sounds and too light with the touch. My personal one is still holding onto some alcohol damage and a crack from a fall, but I still look forward to using it as a nice meeting note taker kind of pen.
Parker Jotter & Vector
Even as a heritage brand, Parker still has a lot going for it - well, with the vintage examples at least. The Jotter is a classic, no doubt, but the fact that it hasn't received any major updates in terms of material or the click mechanism wise is quite a shame, but understandable considering that it still holds its place in pop culture and in collectors' stash, proving that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".
Caran D’ache 849
2 words. Swiss made.
Platinum Preppy 02
On the opposite spectrum of the swiss trying their hardest to make everything the best there is with all the tech possible no matter the cost, the japanese is doing the same thing, with the least possible cost.
The Preppy by Platinum is looked upon as a disposable type of pen, but with the proper care they can last you quite some time, similar to all the Toyotas and Seikos. They may not catch the most looks on the street, but they will get you there, and by the time they finally give in and break down, you'd feel the least bit of remorse buying another one, and that's how Platinum has me hooked in the past 5 years - always with a Preppy lying around somehow somewhere in the house, cartridge plugged and ready to go.
Muji Aluminium
The next best thing to complete with a Toyota is actually another one from the same country, a Honda - but instead of a workhorse sort of car, you're getting a family oriented vehicle with somewhat better specs and more functionality - and that's what a Muji is to a Preppy. With a bit more in price, you're getting a more durable metal shaft, a german made stock nib, and a more aesthetically pleasing design overall. It's more mature than the Preppy in a way, but it still does the same thing, albeit a tad better, with the same reliability and consistency.
Kaweco Student Demo
Now we're touching the pens I wish I'd have used more during the year. My feeling with this Kaweco has been on and off. It's taken out every once in a while, on one of those days where I felt like I just want a pen that can write, no fuss; but then after 15 or so minutes with it my guts would be telling me to go back and grab something with more character. There is nothing wrong with the Kaweco, or because of it not having anything for me to dislike about it has made my whole experience with it being no more than with an average pen. I know it's just me with my rant, but I hope you get the idea...
Venvstas Carbon CC
Another one on the list of pens-I-wish-I'd-have-used more often. Venvstas has a unique take on the minimalistic fountain pen, and it does certainly get my attention, but it's the little things that are preventing me from loving it more than I should. With a clip to make the pen edc-able and a smoother assembling/disassembling process, I'd definitely go back to the Carbon CC more.
Parker 51
Ah yes, me being pretentious with the whole "I hate hooded nibs", and now look at me... fawning over a Parker 51 like a fanboy, well almost...It still boggles me how a 60 years old pen can or perform some of the modern fountain pens in terms of writing experience.
The Parker 51 might be a bit dated in looks and the feel of the resin, but with the correct parts and maintenance it can pretty much last you the next 30-40 years before the resin finally comes to its cracks. It's a pity that the modern reiteration doesn't do it justice but I do hope in the voices of the fountain pen community, Parker would realize something is up and would make timely adjustments in the years to come.
Majohn P136
One of my love-and-hate kind of pen. Obviously you can see why I like it due to the shape and the all too similar design with my favorite Montblanc, and at the same time I hate it so much because it's not hitting those points correctly, such as the uncapable cap and the imperfect finishing details. It does, however, become a perfect replacement for the Montblanc when the places I'm heading to aren't that fountain pen friendly, on a plane or perhaps in the middle of the sea.
and also, it's green.
Laban Formosa Skeleton
Laban is a brand that has been really kind and generous to me and other fountain pen content creators, and not because of that I'm biased toward them. They have been honing their craft and the later pens I've received from them for review showed that, and it's especially clear with this Formosa Skeleton special edition.
Pilot Custom Heritage 912
The Japanese Big 3 have been competing with one another at every price point, from the entry student fountain pens to the exquisite high end urushi and makie limited releases. The diminishing returns show pretty clearly after the $100 mark, and in my personal opinion it peaks at pens priced around the $200.
At this price point, there are so many options and even special releases from the 3 brands, but for my needs Pilot takes the win hands down. After trying out pretty much all the nib sizes from them, the midrange no.10 nib equipped for the 912 fits my hand the best - and for some odd reasons, even if I constantly put it up for sale no one would come and take it off my hands, hence why it’s still here - I still like using it from time to time, especially for calligraphy practice videos and long form writing sessions.
Montblanc Meisterstuck 146
The holy grail, well, I’m glad my grail pen has never been something overly expensive and in-acquirable like something from a solo artisan because that’s a different rabbit hole to get into. The Meisterstuck 146 pretty much has all the adjectives I would use for a desirable Montblanc - firm, reliable, consistent, and of course particular to the 1980s monotone nibs - charismatic. I am sorry I’m expressing my fanboy-ism, fanboy-ishness or whatever the word is, but you get the idea. I do not have to worry about it failing on me unless something obviously broke prior to turning open the cap.
From now moving forward my collection would be heading toward the path of 146s. It’s like when you know you like something so deeply, you’re going to get another one, and another one. I do find peace in knowing my personal taste and preferences clearly to the point of not having desire for any other style of pens, and in time I may find myself stuck with a single style for too long and may branch out again, but that’s the story for another time. Thank you guys for reading these 2000 words worth of rant, but I do hope it bring you some reference points from the perspective of a fountain pen user. If you have any particular interest in any of these pens, please check out the full detailed review which should be linked somewhere amidst the photos or highlighted names. Once again, thank you for your time and I look forward to seeing you reading the next one!
