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Hello everyone, I thought of starting a thread where we can show our latest ink purchases, i will start with the latest purchase i made recently of Pilot Irosizuku inks shown bellow:

Ink View: Ivy 108 - Papier Plume’s Chicago Pen Show Exclusive! I first came to know about this and the Lake Michigan Summer a couple of weeks ago while conversing with Papier Plume on new upcoming inks. At that point the inks weer already created and I was just at the tail end of it. I was lucky enough to receive a small sample of each. As teh main batch hadn't been done yet, I got what was left from what was sent to other reviewers. Still I was happy to tryout these inks, specially since I dont have an Ink Hookup at the Chicago Show to get me some these ink bottles. Still! Many thanks to Papier Plume for providing the sample. I meant to have this out a few days back but I was tasked with painting our Condo.... and lets say it has been time consuming to say the least. I do hope you enjoy reading this (re)view as much as I enjoyed writing it. A small evident warning: This is a limited ink to 60 Bottles only available at the Chicago Pen Show. I do not know any plans for re-releasing these inks in the future, one can hope Ivy 108 the name, the ink. As noted this (ink) is one of the two exclusive inks for the Chicago pen show , and it is customary , it is inspired in some meaningful aspect of the city or the people, in this case Chicago and what is one of Chicago Passions? The Cubs. I dont claim to be baseball fan , so please bear with me as I go a little bit more into the story of this ink's name The number 108, is number that any a Cubs fan should know, as the Cubs won the World Series in 2016 after 108 years. To quote Fountain Pen Follies from his review: “As for the ivy, the Cubs play in Wrigley Field, an old gem of a ballpark known for its tiny size and its ivy-covered outfield walls.” I later learned that the ivy is called the Wrigley Field Ivy, and was planted in 1937 to make the playing field similar to the Perry Stadium (which had it until 1996). Wrigley field is the 2nd oldest in the United States and the only field that has Ivy in the outfields walls, Every other field has padding as per regulation. Today the Wrigley Field Ivy is part of the Field’s landmark designation and, when in use, ground rules apply to how to handle a ball going in and staying stuck in the ivy. So how does the ivy look? Just like this: http://i.imgur.com/Msi27zG.jpg I couldn’t find a picture of a ball stuck on the Ivy (when is green). I did found a few videos, if you have time here is a link to a recompilation Here is a shot of the bottles for the Ivy 108 ink: http://i.imgur.com/4wFd4Pr.jpg How true is the inkcolor reflecting the actual color of the Ivy? Well .. Pretty, pretty close. This as most of PP’s inks has great shading properties, is medium saturated and with good flow. As for water resistance not the strongest suit for this ink but it looks amazing on paper Let’s see the swab in the Mnemosyne card: http://i.imgur.com/qAq5A23.jpg I found out that the shading does show on medium nibs and broader. I won’t say it can’t work on fine or finer nibs for that matter, but I would recommend a wetter nib in that case. So on to the tools: Pens: Franklin Christoph – Medium Stub and Van Graf FB – Sand – Medium. Paper: Tomoe River, Rhodia, Tomoe River 68 gr, Clairefountaine Thriomphe (CF), traditional copy paper, Velum paper and Oxford Optic 90gsm paper. Tests: Flow, saturation, shading, sheen, bleed-through, see-through/show-through, feathering and pooling. With other tests such as water, bleach and alcohol and dry times. Sometimes it will be a yes/no answer, sometimes 1-5 (1 being poor, 5 being excellent) CrossOver Card As with my other reviews here is the ink behaving across all papers . - PLease note that I poured bleach and alcohol in reverse order http://i.imgur.com/7TgfIuD.jpg http://i.imgur.com/OpwcZdc.jpg You can see that each column is representative of the paper used. Thoughts on the ink-paper behavior Flow: Flow is good, consistent in most papers, some feathering in traditional copy paper I would say this is a wet ink.Saturation: Medium, it will vary on how wet your pen is, but there is not a heavy saturation sometimes it looked more saturated depending on the paper, but it was within my expectations if I was looking for good shading.Sheen: None, Zip, Nada. Even when supersaturated there is no sheen on this ink.Shade: This is where PP’s trade mark all about the shade. with the exception of copy paper,I was able to get shading across the papers used. Bleed-through: Some bleed was observed on the copy paper, under normal writing circumstances. That being said when doing the sketch I was using a really fine nib and some did bleed at that point, but I was also scratching the paper. Extreme pooling will also make this ink bleed.Show-through: There is show through with Tomoe River 52gr and clairefountaine, copy paper and Vellum. in some you wont be able to write both sides .Feathering: The ink was fairly resistant to feathering in all papers but copy paper, and thiss to a point was expected.Pooling: (This is not the shading but more on the pooling on the edges of the letters, I enjoy when the inks provide this). There was none that I could observe in any of the papersWater Resistance: The tests shown on the card were done using an eyedropper, leaving it a few seconds then using a tissue paper to retrieve the excess. with this most of the ink on all papers with the exception of copy paper was almost gone. Alcohol Resistance: Very consistent across. You would be able to recover from this one – almost no effect. (remember that I poured this one where the bleach should have gone )Bleach Resistance: None, Zip , nada. (remember that I poured this one where the alcohol should have gone )Dry Times: As noted this is a wet ink and the drying times were between the 20 and 30 second mark. Cleaning: as with PP's inks fairly easy to clean up from the pens used. Here are some other inks for comparison http://i.imgur.com/yOWt4AG.jpg From the top and then left to right: Ink Name / MakerComparison NotesKingdom Note - Sailorgold like green great shading Jade - Robert Oster an olive ink with good saturation - medium shadingVerde de Rioa lighter green than I was expecting subtly similar to jade, some sheen and medium shadingGreen Bay - Anderson PensOne of the most similar to Ivy 108. has more yellow in it and it is more muted. A very dry ink. Ivy 108 - Papier Plumen/aEmerald - Parker Penmana known ink with shading and red sheen properties more green than Ivy IG Green #3 - KWZIdarker green when dry with good shading even for an IGIG Green #4 - KWZIMore muted than #3 and with a touch more of blackStreet Car Greenanother limited of PP an ash green to better describe it And here is a quick sketch http://i.imgur.com/p2wppXy.jpg and writing samples http://i.imgur.com/SZysHNL.jpg Opinion I Like this ink. it sits on a sweet spot between of all the inks that I have, that I don't have. I always like a big story behind it and this is a nice one, but the ink itself has good things going for it, and it is safe for office use. Availability As noted at the beginning of this view this is an exclusive ink to the Chicago Pen Show and limited to 60 bottles. If you are going to the pen show, or have a friend that can pick up a bottle for you, and you are a fan of greens I strongly recommend it. Thank you again for keeping up with me up to this point ! Papier Plume notifies their ink availability through their newsletter first, then Instagram, then Facebook, and finally twitter (in that order).

Pictures should be ok now Ink View: Lake Michigan Summer - Papier Plumes Chicago Pen Show Exclusive! I first came to know about this and the Ivy 108 a couple of weeks ago while conversing with Papier Plume on new upcoming inks. At that point the inks were already created and I was just at the tail end of it. I was lucky enough to receive a small sample of each. As the main batch hadn't been done yet, I got what was left from what was sent for review. Still I was happy to tryout these inks, especially since I dont have an Ink Hookup at the Chicago Show to get me some these ink bottles. Still! Many thanks to Papier Plume for providing the sample. I meant to have this out a few days back but I was tasked with painting our Condo.... and lets say it has been time consuming to say the least. I do hope you enjoy reading this (re)view as much as I enjoyed writing it. A small evident warning: This is a limited ink to 60 Bottles only available at the Chicago Pen Show. I do not know any plans for re-releasing these inks in the future, one can hope and I asked! Lake Michigan Summer (LMS) The Name and the Ink When I look at an ink I want to know if there is any story behind it, this could be a simple or could be an elaborate story, but in a way it helps me signal out an ink from many others that could be close in terms of color or properties. The Lake Michigan is the third largest of the Great Lakes (when measured by water surface) and the only Great Lake located entirely in the United States. The Lake Michigan Summer ink was meant to represent the colors of Lake Michigan in the Summer! Which when looking at the pictures you can find if the lake it does look like the ink spoilers I think it does. Here is a couple picture of the Lake Michigan in the summer http://i.imgur.com/qaYhBb1.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/D38WRN7.jpg How does the Lake Michigan gets its colors? As per some research : The blue is the color given by the light hitting the water with hues varying as the light hits sediment brought to the surface when strong winds churned the lakes.In the same way the green tint is the light hitting the algae and sea weed, reflecting the green(from the plants, which are filled with clorophile) from the waterHere is where the name meets the ink, the combination of the reflecting lights gives off a blue-green color. You can see that the LMS would probably be a teal color ink and it is. Here is the picture of the bottles http://i.imgur.com/79VVl8c.jpg Lets see the swab in the Mnemosyne card: http://i.imgur.com/WEkUXu4.jpg This ink looks consistent across different nib sizes (from EF to Stub), with main differences from one side to the other on shading and for some papers pooling. So on to the tools: Pens: Sailor Realo Medium, Franklin Christoph Blade Turk (Mark Bacas), Visconti HS Bronze Stub and Nemosyne Broad Waverly (Mark Bacas) Paper Tomoe River, Rhodia, Tomoe River 68 gr, Clairefountaine Thriomphe (CF), traditional copy paper, Velum paper and Oxford Optic 90gsm paper. Tests: Flow, saturation, shading, sheen, bleed-through, see-through/show-through, feathering and pooling. With other tests such as water, bleach and alcohol and dry times. Sometimes it will be a yes/no answer, sometimes 1-5 (1 being poor, 5 being excellent) CrossOver Card As with my other reviews here is the ink behaving across all papers . http://i.imgur.com/qL2dT6v.jpg You can see that each column is representative of the paper used. Thoughts on the ink-paper behavior · Flow: Flow is good, consistent in most papers, tiny feathering in traditional copy paper. · Saturation: Medium/Heavy, which is in part responsible for the ink color to be consistent · Sheen: there is a slight hint of sheen, it is mostly sheen when the ink is laid down heavily on paper i.e Tomoe River Both and Rhodia. · Shade: Shading is between 3 and 4 not bad shading not super shading and you can see it across most papers, vellum and copy paper excluded. · Bleed-through: I saw bleed through on copy paper and Tomoe River Both. This is a wet ink and if the paper is not well coated or thick you might find some bleed through. It was tiny tiny on the Tomoe River , but worth mentioning. · Show-through: Same as Bleed Through, This is a wet ink and if the paper is not well coated or thick you might find some show through. However in TR paper it is not enough (IMHO) to not be able to write on both sides. · Feathering: fairly good on fathering, with some on copy paper and some on Clairefountaine which incidentally I do get feathering on this paper with some inks. · Pooling: woohoo hoo you can have some pooling! TR being the best and Rhodia being the worst. No pooling on Vellum or CopyP · Water Resistance: Tests (eye dropper and smear ) show that the ink is not waterproof, and what is left id very faint making difficult to recover some of the writing if need be. · Alcohol Resistance: Very consistent across. You would be able to recover from this one almost no effect. · Bleach Resistance: None, Zip , nada. Ink was here and now is gone! Magic! · Dry Times: As noted this is a wet ink and the drying times were high with all, but copy paper, ranging from 20-30 secs. Cleaning was fairly quick and straight forward. Comparison Here are some other inks for comparison, http://i.imgur.com/NX7kmtb.jpg?1 From the top and then left to right: The biggest contendent ,in my opinion, is Diamine steel blue. Steel blue is darker and a little bit more saturated. Ink ComparisonSteel Blue - Diaminevery close to Lake MIchigan Summer - with a darker tone a a little more saturatedBlue Steel - Noodlersa lot more blue than green good shadingLake Michigan Summer- Papier Plumen/aIG. Turquoise - KWZIa good ink close to Blue steel Mentol Green - KWZIpictures does not show it but it is a good teal more close to LMS and Steel Blue than anything else Fire & Ice - Rober Osterlighter blue with red sheen And here is a quick sketch using Lake Michigan Summer http://i.imgur.com/RgeEAyR.jpg Here is some Cursive and Block writing for reference. http://i.imgur.com/hAJ6aJa.jpg Opinion I like teals and I dont have many of them, Im still waiting for Zeeblau from Akkermans Dutch Masters, which is currently in the mail. But teals are in that in between place of not being green or not being blue and for those ink lovers there is no in between for these types of colors : you either like it or you dont. I know some Ink lovers that will sit on either side of this opinion J That being said , from an objective perspective, this ink is okish for using on a work environment, I like it and I can find it to have while Im making notes. Everyday use is also not a bad thing, although I dont see this being an everywhere ink. The shading on this ink is great, whats more, the ink does pool giving that nice border effect and when concentrated and with the right paper it can even give you some hints of sheen. Someone said to me that sheen has to do with oxidization, I dont know how much of that is true, but it makes sense. After all sheen happens as the inks dries up. As always Im very grateful that I got this sample, and would be happy to have this ink as part of my collection even if it just as what is left of my sample Availability As noted at the beginning of this view this is an exclusive ink to the Chicago Pen Show and limited to 60 bottles. Which is an issue for me as I really like this ink, and I got a really small sample (only have a couple of ml left!) and Im actually going to Chicago but a month later! If you are going to the pen show, or have a friend that is picking up a bottle for you, and you are a fan of greens I strongly recommend it. Papier Plume notifies their ink availability through their newsletter first, then Instagram, then Facebook, and finally twitter (in that order). Thank you again for keeping up with me up to this point !

Hello! I hope that this is the right place to post this. I'm sure some of you have heard now about the DC Pen Show's first ever Pay-It-Forward Table dedicated to giving back to the community! Krystle Azer of SquishyInk (creator of the Hippo Noto) will be at the table as well, running it with me. There will be starter kits available for new FP users, as well as items for FP veterans. So if you have any pens or pen paraphernalia that is collecting dust, we are happy to pass it along to other members of the community. The FP community is one of the very best things about the hobby, and this is just a way to further give and share in the spirit of ink. Check the link below for more details. https://www.thepenthusiast.com/dc-pen-show-pay-it-forward-table **this is not for profit and all things donated will be given free of charge or go toward the cost of the table.

This will be my first pen show! I hope it will be busy with lots of stalls selling vintage and modern pens, cases, inks and papers. I hope there will be lots of people to chat to and I hope to have a great day. Lichfield looks a really pretty town and I'll look forward to seeing the cathedral and the Tudor buildings, and having lunch somewhere. I'm looking to grow my collection (which consists of: a Sheaffer Prelude, chrome with gold trim, with a gold plated nib, with some of the gold worn off, a TWSBI Eco, a Parker Frontier, with lots of scuffs and a nib which refuses to start well, and a Cross Sauvage which has seen heavy use). I'm looking for a really nice Parker Vacumatic, or a Parker 51, or maybe something modern like a Visconti Van Gogh or a Waterman Carene. Is there a good mix of vintage and modern at the show? Anyway, hope to see you there If you see a sheepish, youngish, bespectacled, bearded chap in a hoodie looking shifty, that's probably me!

This weekend, June 18, 2017 Dromgoole's is hosting a pen event with David Oscarson! He will be showcasing his newest pen the Koi. We expect him to have a few colors and this is a beautiful pen! On top of this, we are also having a vintage pen event with Dr. Bob Nisbet. He has a large collection of vintage pens, and we also got in a large allotment of others in recently! Please come on buy to see these beautiful pieces and enjoy food and drinks. The event will run from 10 A.M. and will end at 4 P.M. If you have any questions please feel free to give us a call at 713-526-4651.

OK - I got tired of waiting for someone else to start the thread - so I figured I'd do it myself. Last year the show fell on on the only weekend that we had significant snowfall - so I missed the show for the first time in many years. Who's going to the http://philadelphiapenshow.com/ and what's on your list? I haven't thought through my list yet - other than the fact that R&K Blue Mare will probably be on it. I also will definitely being looking at http://www.franklin-christoph.com/ and http://stores.rkspens.com/. I think I also need a Lamy Safari - because I think all FP fans should have one. Anyone care to share your list?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmsbLPMDecg

Ummm, are there any? And if not, might we get enough people together to arrange one? Could initially start as just a meetup to see how that goes (say, in Helsinki or Stockholm)? Ideas, ideas...

Hi, all. I just moved to Los Angeles and was wondering if there are any pen shows/groups/meet-ups/shops in the area I should know about. Thanks!

http://www.coloradopenshow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/copy-CO.PenShow.Logo_-e1404087685136.png The first annual Colorado Pen Show is just five weeks away (October 11th and 12th in Denver) and we are getting really excited about the event. Sponsors! Argent Blue Ryan Krusac Studios Two Hands Paperie Exhibitors! American Cursive Handwriting Anderson Pens Argent Blue Arizona Pen Company Classic Pens Joel Hamilton Inkpen Vintage Fountain Pen Oxfordianpens Pen Repair Pendemonium Ryan Krusac Studios Sign With Prestige Susan Wirth & Associates Door Prizes!!! We will give away prizes each day. Ryan Kruzac has provided two very exciting pens - one will be given away each day. You really have to see these pens! One is the artist's proof of his new limited edition Colorado Ballad. This pen will be offered for the very first time at the showThe latest edition of Fountain Pens of the World provided by Andreas Lambrou!A Paradise Pens 5280 Summit Carbon Fiber pen provided by Colorado Pen Posse member Dirk Anderson!Workshops! Why Some Fountain Pens Can Make Anyone's Handwriting Look Good - Susan WirthZentangle - Marie Hornback (Sign With Prestige)Keep in Touch! Website Facebook Twitter

We are pleased to announce the Scriptus Toronto Pen and Writing Show, to be held November 2, 2014. It is exciting to have a pen & writing show in Toronto again, the first since 2010. The plans are exciting: pens, old and new; fine papers, stationery and greeting cards; inks of every colour and kind. We plan to have over thirty vendors in attendance, from far and wide. There will be something for everyone, and then some! The venue is fabulous. The Appel salon—located on the second floor of the Toronto Reference Library—is both world-class, and the premier location for literary and specialty events in downtown Toronto. Just steps from the hub of the transit system, and close to one of the major traffic arteries, it is convenient for everyone. (And on a Sunday, traffic in minimal and parking is cheap!) In a newly-renovated space, and with a first-class coffee shop downstairs, Scriptus will be an enjoyable day for all. How can you keep up with Scriptus news and announcements? We are on Twitter (@ScriptusToronto), Facebook, and on the official Scriptus blog: http://www.scriptustoronto.com. (A spot in the sidebar puts you on our mailing list, to be notified right away when we post announcements.) Details to come include exhibitors lists, sponsorship opportunities, admission charge, and more.

I somehow managed to discover fountain pens and INK before the Chicago Pen show. I'm planning on going on Sunday so will have more time to peruse things. How should I approach looking/trying/buying ink at a show?

Hi, I am flying to the L.A. pen show in February. To make the trip worthwhile and get as much floor time as possible, I'm going as a "trader". This includes an option to display at a half table for a couple days prior to the show. I've only sold maybe a dozen pens online over the years, so am not a pro. However, I've NEVER sold anything on a show floor. So, opinions please from the casual buyer/seller. Is it worth it to box up and pack pens, maybe pay a carry-on or baggage fee, and sell from the half table? Or is it not worth the hassle? I'm flying from D.C. and mainly want to enjoy the show and the interaction with other pen enthusiasts. But I do have two dozen or so pens I no longer use for a variety of reasons. With all the original boxes I'm guessing I'll be beyond the carry-on limits! Should I leave everything home and continue with the piecemeal online options, or is it best to have it all there? Is it too nerve-wracking, and one ends up enjoying less of the show? What's your experience? Thanks! Michael

Any one heading to this tomorrow?