Retrospective: Thursday August 13

August 13, 2020

🄼🄸🄽🄸 🅁🄴🅅🄸🄴🅆🅂 On Instagram!

Diamine Asa Blue
Montblanc BMW Blue 🚙
Monteverde D.C. Supershow Blue
Diamine Imperial Blue
Pen Point Rindou
Diamine Iris 👁
Sailor ⚓️ Ink Studio 450
Kingdom Note Hitamuki
Diamine Earl Grey ☕️
De Atramentis Charles Dickens (Cement Grey)
Hirayama Mannendou Hirosaki Pink Grey
Bungubox Sakanamachi Horoyoi Grey 🍶
Next set coming soon (somewhat periodically)…

Articles I’ve read:

Robert Oster Sydney Darling Harbour (by STALÓWKA) ✑ Marta reviews a Robert Oster ink released for the Sydney Pen Show.
review: kaweco smokey grey (ink sharks) ✑ Connie reviews a lovely grey ink.
review: diamine cherry sunburst (ink sharks) ✑ an interesting soft red from Diamine’s guitar series.
“Irreconcilable differences”, or five types of pen people to avoid at all costs (UK Fountain Pens) ✑ Anthony with some hard truths.
How do you spot a ‘bad’ nib? (UK Fountain Pens) ✑ and some useful tips on how to check your nibs.
Ink Review #254: Monteverde ITF Mercury Noir (Fountain Pen Pharmacist) ✑ A nice soft magenta ink with decent shading.

Check out my Sponsors* and help out the blog:

La Couronne do Comte (10% off with MACCHIATOMAN10) ✒︎ Some old LE Montblanc and Pelikan inks are on sale as well as pre-orders for Sailor Manyo inks!
Desk Bandit ✒︎ The new Australis Roberto Osterinks, as well as a whole heap of Tono & Lins that look very interesting!
Pen Savings (12% off with MACCHIATOMAN) ✒︎ Excellent selection of Private Reserve, Monteverde and Noodler’s. My go-to for these brands!
Bookbinders Design (15% off code: BBDMACCHIATO) ✒︎ BBD are having a sale and on that sale are the new Vol 2 Pilot Decimos! They also have some in-house todo lists and monthly (and weekly) planners as well as a custom Kaweco Sport!
Pen Classics ✒︎ Some Rhodia, De Atramentis, and some Robert Oster are on sale! Check them out!
Pen Chalet (10% off with MACCHIATOMAN) ✒︎ Some great sale prices that change all the time. Check in to see what they have now!

*Due to COVID-19 I have extended all sponsorships throughout the pandemic.

Stationery Review: Lochby Pocket Journal

July 30, 2020

In December 2019 I reviewed Lochby’s Field Journal, an A5 Notebook holder, and Tool Roll, which holds pen-shaped stationery (or other). Both were unique, feature rich, and interesting approaches that had a recognisable design language to it. Somewhat rustic and hardy looking. They aren’t designed that bring boardrooms and courtrooms to mind, but for me they remind me of something you’d bring out back with you as a gardening journal or a hiking journal. Earlier in the year Lochby released a smaller Pocket Journal for the standard smaller 3.5” x 5.5” pocket notebook size. Naturally, they also released a Tomoe River notebook to go along with the case.

Thanks to Chris at Lochby for sending this over for review!

Ink Overview: Taccia Ukiyo-e Sharaku Tōshūsai inks (Kurocha, Akasakura, Koiame, and Natane)

July 20, 2020 in Ink Review

Taccia are making a series of inks based on Japanese Ukiyo-e artists and selections of their works. The current two series are based on four works from Sharaku Tōshūsai (this series) which are portraiture works and the other series (which you can view here) is on four works from Hukusai Katsushika which are landscape works. The inks take inspiration from specific colours in each of the works. Taccia has plans to expand the series of Ukiyo-e inspired inks.

Thanks to Desk Bandit for generously providing samples of 6 of these inks.

Ink Overview: Taccia Ukiyo-e Hokusai Katsushika inks (Benitsuchi, Koiai, Sabimidori, and Fukakihanada)

July 18, 2020 in Ink Review

Taccia are making a series of inks based on Japanese Ukiyo-e artists and selections of their works. The current two series are based on four works from Hukusai Katsushika (this series) which are predominantly landscape works and the other series (which you can view here) is on four works from Sharaku Tōshūsai which are portrait works. The inks take inspiration from specific colours in each of the works. Taccia has plans to expand the series of Ukiyo-e inspired inks.

Thanks to Desk Bandit for generously providing samples of 6 of these inks. I purchased bottles of Koiai and Sabimidori from Desk Bandit.

Ink Review Pen + Message Cigar

May 04, 2020 in Ink Review

Pen + Message is a small stationery shop tucked away on a back street near Motomachi Station in Kobe, Japan. They sell a lovely small selection of inks, as well as a decent amount of different paper products and high end fountain pens. They’ve also been offering Sailor exclusive inks for a while now and have their own set of five inks (of which this is a part of) as well a collaborative set of three inks with Rivermail in Yamashina called “Writing Lab”. All of these come in the lovely tall or vase sailor bottle.