Last recap post before things get back to normal this week! Today I’ll look at miscellaneous stationery accessories that I’ve enjoyed reviewing in 2019. As with other similar posts, all links are to my own previous reviews. Enjoy!
Traveling with Fountain Pens: Do You Need a Traveling Inkwell? Although “Traveling Inkwells” or “ink pots” have been on the market for some time, they’ve received a lot of attention over the past year when Visconti and Pineider both made a push to get these products some additional exposure by lowering the price to a more reasonable level. Personally, I use my two inkwells to hold the remnants of near-empty ink bottles, or to help me use inks from bottles that make it hard to fill pens with larger nibs. It’s also much easier to fully fill a vacuum-filler fountain pen using an inkwell - just be sure to hold the inkwell tightly so it doesn’t fly across the room.
Traveling with Fountain Pens: In Praise of the Humble Ink Cartridge. In the second entry of my “Traveling with Fountain Pens” series, I looked at the ink cartridge - something that often gets overlooked (or mocked) by “serious” fountain pen enthusiasts, but which I use regularly as a convenient and functional way to refill pens at work and on the road. Use those cartridges proudly!
Jetstream SXR-600 Refill. For years, I’ve wanted a Uniball Jetstream hybrid-ballpoint refill that I could use in my standard ballpoint and rollerball pen bodies. Now, you can have the Jetstream’s write-anywhere, quick drying experience in any pen that takes a standard Parker-style refill, such as the Retro 51 Tornado or the Baron Fig Squire.
Staples TRU RED Notebooks. The paper in the black “soft-cover” notebooks is excellent for fountain pens, and I hope Staples continues to source this paper in the future. It’s a low-cost option that’s readily available at your local office-supply store, and the leatherette covers are nice as well.
Pen Storage Solutions: Pen Boxes and Folios. I’ve really reworked my pen organization/pen storage over the past year, and am preparing to do another round of thinning the herd in the coming months. In this post I highlight several storage options that I use to keep my pen collection (relatively) organized and easy to navigate.
Thanks for bearing with me while I’ve been on vacation. I’ve needed a break and I look forward to tackling the second half of the year!