"Don't expect perfection, but you can expect us to care." Love that! I'm going to use it next time I have an intractable problem at work. Thank you, Drew!
Brian telling the Goldilocks story had me in stitches. I know you won't do it, but I so badly wish there will be a "story time with Brian" section where he tells children's stories and breaks it down the Goulet way. 😂
I once had a grad school professor blow my mind when talking about Little Red Riding Hood by asking "Why was grandma in the woods anyway? Why wasn't she living with the family at a time when food was scarce? What's grandma really doing out there in the woods that caused her exile?" 🤯Please let Brian deep dive fairy tales. The look on Drew's face while Brian goes off on "And what exactly did they mean by 'red?' Like, a scarlet, or more of a burgundy?" would be priceless all on its own! 🤣
I literally watch this because I love seeing Brian and Drew goof around.I love the feeling that I am just watching 2 school buddies who are pretty much the same as they were in the school yard. And I love the smacks to the mic. Just don't change a thing!
Smart dog!! I love fried bologna! Especially with cheese on top! I listen while cleaning, while driving, at breaks at work. You guys are always fun, funny, interesting and entertaining.
Don't worry about sound issues, and everybody stop complaining. I listen to different podcasts and the Goulet pencast is one of the best to both content and soundquality . Brian and Drew thank you for being you. And I can agree in all you say about custom retailers and customer services vs ie Amazon. I have chosen retailers, and Goulet pens amo g them. ❤️ 😊👍🇸🇪🇺🇲
In all honesty, I like the sound issues. It reminds me they are comfortable. I want to feel like I am listening to two friends talk and not sitting there stiffly like robots. I couldn’t imagine complaining about such a thing for a free video/podcast!
Great pencast as always! I especially appreciated Brian’s deep dive on Amazon and market place. Being a commission based hairstylist I rely on retail sales as part of my paycheck. We are very much an industry that is hit hard with the competition of Amazon and other third party marketing lower prices for most of the time “gray” market products. It’s very helpful for more people to understand the sometimes damaging effects of these appealing lower prices. I do think it comes down to what Brian said “buy from who you trust.” Thanks again for these wonderful pencasts I always learn so much! Write on!
Okay, so hear me out. What if Brian used his powers and influence to get Montegrappa to make a themed pen around The Fast and the Furious? With a cartridge-filler that looks like a NOS tank. And somehow also there's a spoiler attached to the pen.
I know I'm late to the party, but as a single working mom, seeing your child with their friends and seeing that they've found kind, kindred spirits is a beautiful feeling. The relief felt in knowing that my son hadn't gotten in with the wrong crowd and the lessons I taught were actually sticking is indescribable. He's 19 now, and still so strange, but with me as his mother, he had no choice, lol.
Lol, love Brian's reading of the Goldilocks story. "thieving, lying terrorist in their house". I never realized that there wasn't a moral to the story until now.. Transition / exploring fountain pens described as moving through the wardrobe into Narnia: spot on :)
My grail pen was the Custom 823. It was very hyped and I had never written with one, so I was afraid it wouldn't meet my expectations. My partner bought it for me as a surprise 1.5 years ago, and it has never not been inked since. I love it, it's my favourite pen.
Thank you for the deep dive on Amazon. I knew some of this, but it’s always good to be armed with information. I’ve had things in my cart for weeks and watched the prices fluctuate over time. And yeah, I definitely find things on Amazon, but I’ll check for creator names and search for a website that will give more of the money to that creator (thinking specifically of tarot decks, my other addiction). Fountain pens are definitely a small business purchase, and Goulet is nearly always my first choice. Thank you for being so dependable and dedicated to service and supporting the hobby you retail for.
😳 I love this @crystalca9082! I found the fountain pen community thanks to the tarot community, both are passions of mine, good to find more people sharing these spheres 💜🖋🙌
@@LucyLu_meztli Just another tarot and fountain pen person popping in to say, "Hi!"
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Personally, my few experiences with Amazon were so bad that I stopped using it. I'd rather buy from a local store that is close (or close-ish, I live in the EU) to me and if there's any issue I know that I can contact them and they'll help me. Also, Amazon doesn't need my money in the least, and there are so many shady things going on that I can't be bothered trying. If I can't find it in normal stores I don't buy it.
I have found so many neat specialty businesses by refusing to shop on Amazon. The service is always better by virtue of there *actually being some service* and often the variety of goods are even better. Finding an online shop that sells nothing but caster wheels, or men's ties, or embroidery supplies or whatever has made shopping online a way better experience. Do I pay for shipping? Yeah, sometimes but a lot of small businesses are able to offer competitive or free shipping prices now. I turned away from Amazon at first because I just didn't trust that I was getting what I ordered, but now it's my last resort if I can't find something anywhere else. Just the McMaster-Carr online catalog is fun to peruse just to see what kind of stuff they have and that business has been around for over 100 years. I love shopping small and online, it's really the best of everything. Keep doing what you do, I would hate to log in to Amazon to shop with Goulet Pens!
Drew's face was priceless when Brian was describing his opening chess moves. Just perfect... his eyes and face were telling us, "We all love Brian so we are going to breathe deep, do some inner eye-rolling and ride out this level of chess geekdom that Brian and 1% of our audience are interested in. Don't worry folks, it will end!" You guys are so much fun!
Hey! I couldn't care less about the Super Bowl or anything of the sort, but the chess discussions are fascinating! And far more attractive to non-Americans as well. :-)
Looking back, I think my love of fountain pens is very directly traceable to my love of the Pilot Precise pens when growing up. I loved the way the wet ink would glisten on the page before drying, seeing the ink slosh in the pen barrel, the fine line and little to no pressure necessary to write. All things common to fountain pens.
For Drew, I really think you should explore doing voice over for cartoons, I think you are just the right amount of crazy imaginitive and expressive that you would be really good at it.
And Brian is like Paul Bunyon with his outdoor survival skills with a bit of Macgyver, it is rare to see a nerd with coordination and abilty to work with their hands, or at least that is not me and my friends :)
I love your Fountain Pen 101. I am fascinated by both Drew's and Brian's personalities. . . the first viewing finds me watching and smiling or puzzling....then the second viewing I take notes on what I HEAR.....and HERE is my request...Seeing these pen names spelled out would be an enormous help to my note taking. Thank you for hearing that.
For some things (like addressing envelopes) waterproof may be more important. An envelope might get wet. With some inks, this would mean that the address is now illegible,
Pilot precise! You just made my heart happy! I can’t take my fountain pens to work because I’m a nurse at a jail…but I am sure going to try to get my favorite fountain pen ink in one of those to see what happens!
Hahahaha Drew, you crack me up with the Dots! I just watched the old episode where your whole office was filled with them (just found you guys so have some to catch up) and now this shows up in this episode. So much fun. Sorry for your disappointment though. You guys are fun and informative. Hope you will keep doing this for a long time. Thanks!
Hey, big thanks for your comments on my RC car comment last week. It is indeed a huge rabbit hole. It started out with just one and now I have multiple rock crawlers, bashers, a carpet track car, a drag car, etc. Crazy. But it is really fun.
One good reason for refillable rollerballs is landfill ....or lack of it. Why dispose of something when you can refil it ? They make good beater pens in my experience...🤷♂️ All the best 👍
Drew, a “family room” is usually a larger room for casual family time, stemming from the time when formal living rooms (where you receive guests and casual visitors who aren’t a part of your intimate inner circle) were a thing.
Right, "Family Room" is what used to be a "Living Room", "Living Room" is what used to be a "Parlor", Now "Family Room" is "Home Theater".
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@@CorwynGC Funnily enough, a parlour here is nowhere in the home. It's usually referred to some type of business (like a barber or a cafe). I didn't know living rooms were called parlours at some point in time 😅
I would get the names confused growing up, and my mom told me the living room is the one you don't actually live in because it's for special occasions. That stuck with me because I was the only person who regularly went in ours in order to practice piano.😆
“Parlor” hasn’t been used for “living room” for probably a century or more in America, but my British friends occasionally use it. As pointed out in one of the replies, the “living room” was not actually for living; it was the special place that no one ever went into except on very special occasions. The room for fun, family life, and casual visitors was the “den” or sometimes “family room”. My British friends also use the term “sitting room” rather than “living room”.
I’m so glad I’m a week late to this Pencast so I have something great to watch this week 🎉 The discussion on Amazon was very enlightening! Thanks for explaining the co-mingling of the stock there too. Drew, may I ask what is the watch you are wearing? It’s a good looking timepiece. Thx & write on!
I don't shop Amazon I don't want to shop Amazon. I'm a 72 year old man who loves mom & pop, corner store, companies like yours. Definitely not a market person. You all keep up the great job.
2:14:39 Drew making the Devil horns just made me smile so much. Wonderful Pencast (as always). And Drew's "... do bring it back in one piece." gave me life!
what a fun question! I am usually at work or driving during my pen cast listens:) I have an hour and a half or two hour commute to work three days a week.
Yes, Baby Bear is the "Just Right Zone". Remember, Drew has the Brown Safari, with the Bear. Thus he knows his bears. The point of the story is that when you leave the house to let your porridge cool, lock the door so entitled little brats like Goldilocks don't come in and eat your food and destroy your stuff and leave ball points around the house.
The version I was told and later on found in another book was that they found Goldilocks and they were going to scold her but because she was so pretty (or cute or something like that) they forgave her and let her stay. Even as a child I didn't understand why they'd let someone who just rampaged their house to stay? Or even be ok?
Currently writing with my Falcon EF as I listen! It was my first gold nib pen and still holds pride of place in my collection. I've considered buying a second one just to have multiple colors of ink without having to change a pen, haha!
People's grail pens are always interesting. My stratospheric grail pen was and is the Emperor Goldfish; otherwise, my first two grail pens were the E95s in Burgundy/Ivory and the Pelikan M205 Petrol Marbled. I think the closest I have now is a Nahvalur Nautilus Tampa, which I missed by 1 day.
Love watching you guys on my weekends, always makes me happy... also I have to say I saw an otter while I was out running this AM which was awesome. Life pro tip for you both - never make snow angels in a dog park...
Baby Bear's porridge was just right and Goldilocks ate it all up. His chair was just right, but Goldilocks was too big and broke it. His bed was just right and Goldilocks fell asleep in it. Hope this helps! Thanks for the great video!
Can you post the Amazon thoughts as separate video? I do not buy from Amazon for exactly these reasons but I have never been able to articulate my reservations well. This has been very helpful.
I once met a city attorney who focused on consumer issues and she told me that in her experience, other than books, a scary high percentage of things sold on Amazon are counterfeit, expired, poorly stored, grey market etc. It's made me be VERY careful about what I will order from them
A city attorney? One who can just look and tell that something is gray market? Yeah, right. Bet she went through and checked expiration dates, too? Funny that no one I know has ever received an expired product from Amazon. I doubt she ever went inside an Amazon warehouse. An extremely tiny percentage of things may fit this bill, but for the most part it's complete nonsense. Amazon warehouses are immaculately kept, organized, and filled with well-stored products from legitimate companies. Ninety-eight percent of the complaints about Amazon come from people who know nothing about Amazon, and your city attorney certainly didn't, or from retailers who hate Amazon. Brian gets some of it right, but Amazon is just not the way he thinks it is. If it were, it would be out of business in a month. It never would have become the giant it is in the first place. Nor would thousands of legitimate businesses use it. There are dishonest people, dishonest sellers, everywhere, and not just on Amazon. They're all over the internet, and even in brick and mortar stores, but the vast majority of Amazon sellers are honest and legitimate, and while I've only seen the inside of one huge Amazon warehouse, I have friends who work in others, and they are all run professionally, and without the nonsense your city attorney claims, and without the mixing of retailer's products. It just does not happen except on EXTREMELY rare occasions.
The Amazon discussion was so interesting. I’ve heard of people buying super cheap fountain pens through Amazon, but I’ve always been weary to buy from Amazon due to some sketchy sellers. This is why for any fountain pens that I buy (especially gold nib ones), I choose to purchase from an authorized seller like you guys (Goulet Pens) because I know I will get the authentic pen, and not some bootleg one.
Which sketchy sellers are those? The only super cheap fountain pens I can find anywhere on Amazon are pens that would be super cheap anywhere. The truth is that the vast, vast majority of fountain pens on Amazon cost the same, and sometimes a touch more, than they do from a non-Amazon retailer. You are not going to get bootleg pens, with the rare exception of the Lamy Safari where you might get a used pen, and you will be buying from authorized dealers. There are a tiny few sketchy sellers everywhere, including those who do not sell on Amazon. Many of the top brand fountain pens are sold on Amazon by legitimate, authorized retailers. There will always be a tiny few dishonest sellers everywhere, but millions of people buy from Amazon, and have no problems at all.
Watching this a year later. I am so not into Amazon for anything other than something I need desperately, cannot get around here, and need the day after tomorrow. That and movies. I am glad you have taken a stand on this.
You asked about refillable roller ball pens. I call them inkballs. Not a huge fan, and I appreciate Brian's take. I have 2 that I use: a J.Herbin cheapie, and a Monteverde One Touch Engage. That darned J.Herbin won't die. I've never cleaned it, have left it for months at a time, and have always left a cartridge in it. It just keeps working. Not smooth, but it works. The Monte works, especially with Noodler's Eel inks (but then the writing never dries). I just don't like how upright I have to hold the pen. Fountain pens are just so much better! One other bit of feedback: Brian said "if you are new to the hobby you don't go vintage" - I disagree. Love my vintage pens, and one of the first pens I ever got was a Parker Vacumatic.
Regarding Grail pens, the Pelikan M800 was huge for me and still is my most expensive pen. It's awesome. I got it to celebrate an important professional milestone and it's a permanent fixture of my desk.
Thank you, Brian, for your commentary about Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Funniest thing I heard all day.
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I normally tidy up my bird watching observations & my gardening notes while I listen to the pencast. Today I inked new pens tho. I normally watch these in the evening, when the day is over & it's tea & winding down time.
That's really funny that you mention the Eco from TWSBI. I gave an Eco to one of my family and inked it up for them and just a few days ago I went and grabbed it and they hadn't written with it for at least a year I think, I uncapped it and it wrote just fine. It had Noodlers Black in it.
Yes Drew, TUMI bags did that. Not sure if they still do. My husband used to buy them back in the day when you had to lug huge laptops on the commuter train to the city. Their luggage was great too. Really good quality back then.
I must say, on the ink composition issue, I was really surprised at how little information companies are expected to give. I come from a painting background where the pigment is highly important and is supposed to be specified. Because many compounds are used in both, I've been able to identify some of my acrylic paint colours in my inks: Diamine Aurora Borealis is clearly phtalocyanine-based. The phtalos are the most highly staining and cost effective blue-teal-green family of colours to manufacture, and are still found at super high price ranges in my experience, which means the end user is really paying for the other components and/or packaging.
Some blue and green paints are copper based too and chromium greens, though those dyes tend to be more expensive, how much they are used in making dyes for writing and drawing inks I'm not sure, but they are used in textile dyes as well.
@@janatherton9194 Yes, phtalocyanine dyes and pigments are copper based. Chromium oxide as far as I'm aware is too granular to become a dye, which is a shame because it's very lightfast and unique.
Another great podcast. A question on the refillable rollerball. Have you modified a Retro 51 refill with fountain pen ink? I enjoyed your take on what makes an ink "good". There's as many answers as are fountain pen and ink users. Brian, being that you live in a rural area, any plans to install a permanent standby generator at your place so your outage time is only as long as it takes for the transfer switch to swap to the generator as it's kicking on?
Love listening to this as I relax Friday evenings. It helps me wash the week off and get ready for the weekend with my pens and inks! 🎉 Thanks, Drew and Brian!
Pilot HiTech is a refillable rollerball that writes basically identically to the precise, but it is compatible with pilot cartridges. I use it all the time at work.
"The worst of both worlds.". I love it. I also love my two Noodler's rollerballs and the roller eel ink. The roller eel is Heart of Darkness with extra lubricant, a charlie roller, and 5 roller tips. The ink does great in both fountain and roller balls. It is a favorite of mine and I don't believe you have it in stock. I bought a Konrad roller too but found it is the same tip as the free charlie.
I have a question for the Q and A: The little round silver "finial cap" fell off my kaweco brass sport! UGH! I'm blaming it on one of my kids... Anyway, I guess I am going to superglue it back in. Any suggestions on what kind of glue to use? Do you think it's safe to use - even if some glue gets on the brass of the cap? It looks like if I do a good job I can just glue it to the black plastic ring in the top of the cap. THANKS IN ADVANCE.
I just bought Baystate Blue and love the vibrance of the blue. I am mindful of what pens to put it in but it is hard not to want to use it in everything.
Get your kids together and walkie talkies, and you go to breaker box and flip off, and find out which breakers go with which outlets, switch, etc. Then update the labels in the breaker box, AND each and every outlet and switch with the breaker number. Takes an hour or two, saves TONS of time in the dark.
I too can attest to how phenomenal TWSBI pens perform. I've also left my pens (Go, Eco, Diamond, Vac) inked for over a year, using them occasionally. They all wrote as soon as the cap was removed and the nibs hit paper. For this reason alone, all fountain pen users should have at least one as part of their pen collection. What a reliable brand! I would love to see TWSBI offer others designs, similar to those like the Aurora and Draco.
Thank you for whatever you did this episode, it was MUCH better in terms of that deep thumping on the microphone. I think I heard a thumping when you were showcasing the pen, but the balance was perfect and it only happened a little bit. I think also the only reason I heard it is because I was listening for it. Thank you very much for however you fixed it!
We don't use the generator when our power goes out, but I feel you on the water issue! We're on tank water--except for the toilet which is town--but without the pump, there's no other water!! I freaking LOVE that 007 pen. I need to win lotto...
That 007 pen is fantastic. Love the engineering that must have gone into its design. Outstanding. The more engineered pen I have with an interesting fill design is the GvFC Intuition wood fountain pens.
I... listen to the Pencast either at work on Friday mornings when I have nothing going on (I can't listen to words and read/think at the same time), or later while I game (Diablo 2: Resurrected currently). I listen to other long podcasts when I fold laundry - I just don't fold laundry on Fridays, otherwise the Pencast would probably also be up for that. Cracking caps 🤣@PenBoyRoy, they're talking about you.
This could be a helpful / interesting segment: gift ideas for graduates! I’m interested to know some professional, mid-level pens that would be celebratory gifts for a college or law school grad. Any ideas?
I have 3 Monteverde Engage One Touch rollerballs that use fountain pen ink. It was not until I replaced the tips that came with them with broad tips did they write no matter what or how long between uses. The best of both worlds to be sure!
Well, for me a fountain pen nib is the best of the fountain pen world, and no rollerball offers a nib. There simply is no experience like writing with a soft gold nib that you know how to use.
I find that on specialty items, at least in Canada, the prices on Amazon are not always lower than in the online shops of specialized retailers. And sometimes, some products are only available on Amazon, mostly in smaller markets like CAnada
Regarding refillable rollerballs. 3 or 4 years ago I bought a Zebra R-301 RB rollerball pen and a package or cartridges for it. These cartridges look very close to the old Sheaffer cartridges we use to get for our Sheaffer school pens. The Zebra has been working without fail since I got it. I wouldn't refill the cartridge with FP ink though but the ink in their cartridges could be considered rock solid for this pen. It's the only non FP pen that I've had and used since getting it.
I just got a J. Herbin refillable rollerball pen. I like writing with it, but it makes me want to print. What's up with that? I still prefer my fountain pens for letter writing, but the refillable rollerball is inexpensive so I use it when I"m out and about and I won't cry if it gets lost or broken. If I lost my every day carry fountain pen some tears would definitely be shed!
I’m a Goulet customer and have spent a lot of money there. However I can’t deny that I’m getting tempted from Amazon, the pricing difference is so HUGE, sometimes over 50%. Like the pilot e95s was $70 on Amazon Vs $144 at US retailers. Sailor 1911 on Amazon are less than half the cost of US retailers. The customer service aspect I totally respect, but it’s a fountain pen so most people will not need customer service. 99% of the time the pen will just work as expected. In the end I’ll purchase from Goulet because I appreciate the knowledge I have gained from your videos and blogs, and because I can afford it. But for someone who is on a money crunch, I can see why Amazon would be the way to go.
Honestly, I think the reason fountain pens are so cheap on Amazon is because they're used or clearance items that fell off the back of a truck. I've bought several fountain pens from Amazon. I normally buy pens that aren't quite $100 on goulet for the free shipping.
I'm not terribly ambitious yet. I think my grail pen is a Sailor Pro Gear. Right now I've only sampled entry-level pens - a Cross Aventura and a TWSBI Go. I have my eye on a few next-level pens, though. Conklin Duragraph and TWSBI 580 both look delightful.
For my judgement on what makes an ink good: -Its not dry. -It doesn't feather. -It doesn't crust up on the nib. -Its readable. Being to light or having too much shading can ruin the ink.
I apologize in advance for being annoying. You come out of the portal at the same speed, not velocity. Velocity has a directional component which is not retained when traveling through the portal. Not that it's actually a big deal to use those interchangeably. So long as you are understood it doesn't really matter what term you use. I just thought that it would be fun to know.
Really interesting hearing Brian's experience with the M800! I got my first gold-nibbed pen when I was 10 (a present from my grandmother, an old lever-fill Parker that I'm sure had been in a cupboard somewhere. Sold. Even used it to write my finals, with a bottle of ink on the desk!!). My 40th present was a Serious Pen, went into a pen shop and tried various posh pens, including a Parker Duofold, and a Mont Blanc, but liked the M400 better than any of the others. Since bought a couple of M600s (prefer the size), one with a broad nib and one with a medium :) Then got put onto TWSBI ECO... that's now my lives-in-my-handbag pen (as if it gets lost, it's a tenth of the price to replace than the M600). Re the Amazon thing: I'm in the UK, so buying from you guys isn't really viable, I buy from Cult Pens instead (and they are my first look for all pens/ink/stationery etc.).
Hi Drew and Brian, in response to your discussion on good vs bad ink, I’ve been searching for the right inks for specific pens and situations. For example for the infrequent times I have to write a check (about 1-2 / month) I was struggling with ink bleeding on crappy check paper. Goulet customer service recommended writing with the “finest nib I could stand and pair it with TWSBI blue/black.” I had Twsbi black and a Diamond 580 ALR EF that I tried while waiting for the blue/black to arrive. It was better. But kudos to your customer service rep! Blue/Black from TWSBI was the clear winner. Now a second example: I was so discouraged with one of my grail pens Lamy Dialog C3 when it was drying out so bad. I changed the ink recently to Sailor Kakitsubata! YAY it now writes beautifully with no drying out so far. I’ll let you know how long it makes it. Thanks for all your work on the pen casts. I look forward to them every week.
This is why I love the Pencast, I did not know that refillable rollerballs even existed, too bad they are the worst of both worlds. That 007 pen, I am amazed at the level of detail they went to in creating that package. So now I gotta know, Drew and Brian, if you could have 1 limited special edition fountain pen, which would you chose and why?
And....the Varsity is the fountain pen version of the Precise. I'm looking at the label on the package. I liked the Zebra R301. It took cartridges. Since they discontinued them, I refill them with Waterman Serenity Blue. I don't know why this ink is falling out of favor. It works really well even in problem pens.
I’ve got my 3 grail pens from Goulet! Pilot custom 823, Pilot Metal Falcon and Pilot Vanishing Point! Next up is a custom Urushi, problem is it’s 1500.00 from Goulet and 850.00 from pensachi?
The discussion on what makes a good ink was interesting and thought provoking. To me it's about predictable consistency. As soon as I put my pen onto the paper, I have committed to what I'm about to do. I have to either finish what I've started or throw it away and start again. I want all the reasons for disposal to be because of my own deficiencies - poor handwriting, spelling errors, misjudging my word spacing - and not due to the ink suddenly doing something weird that I did not ask it to do. Particularly if I am writing in a bound journal rather than a Rhodia pad (where I can just rip it off and start again), I really don't want my inks to adversely surprise me.
"Don't expect perfection, but you can expect us to care." Love that! I'm going to use it next time I have an intractable problem at work. Thank you, Drew!
A Mission Statement we can all get behind!
Sometimes that's just about as good as it can get! Haha! - Drew
Brian telling the Goldilocks story had me in stitches. I know you won't do it, but I so badly wish there will be a "story time with Brian" section where he tells children's stories and breaks it down the Goulet way. 😂
I once had a grad school professor blow my mind when talking about Little Red Riding Hood by asking "Why was grandma in the woods anyway? Why wasn't she living with the family at a time when food was scarce? What's grandma really doing out there in the woods that caused her exile?" 🤯Please let Brian deep dive fairy tales. The look on Drew's face while Brian goes off on "And what exactly did they mean by 'red?' Like, a scarlet, or more of a burgundy?" would be priceless all on its own! 🤣
Best laugh I’ve had in weeks.
I literally watch this because I love seeing Brian and Drew goof around.I love the feeling that I am just watching 2 school buddies who are pretty much the same as they were in the school yard. And I love the smacks to the mic. Just don't change a thing!
Smart dog!! I love fried bologna! Especially with cheese on top! I listen while cleaning, while driving, at breaks at work.
You guys are always fun, funny, interesting and entertaining.
Don't worry about sound issues, and everybody stop complaining. I listen to different podcasts and the Goulet pencast is one of the best to both content and soundquality . Brian and Drew thank you for being you. And I can agree in all you say about custom retailers and customer services vs ie Amazon. I have chosen retailers, and Goulet pens amo g them. ❤️ 😊👍🇸🇪🇺🇲
EEeeeeee!! Thank you so much for the kind words, Karina! That is super nice of you! - Drew
In all honesty, I like the sound issues. It reminds me they are comfortable. I want to feel like I am listening to two friends talk and not sitting there stiffly like robots. I couldn’t imagine complaining about such a thing for a free video/podcast!
"Give it the old Goog" is now entering my vernacular. Thanks, Brian!
Great pencast as always! I especially appreciated Brian’s deep dive on Amazon and market place. Being a commission based hairstylist I rely on retail sales as part of my paycheck. We are very much an industry that is hit hard with the competition of Amazon and other third party marketing lower prices for most of the time “gray” market products. It’s very helpful for more people to understand the sometimes damaging effects of these appealing lower prices. I do think it comes down to what Brian said “buy from who you trust.” Thanks again for these wonderful pencasts I always learn so much! Write on!
Okay, so hear me out. What if Brian used his powers and influence to get Montegrappa to make a themed pen around The Fast and the Furious? With a cartridge-filler that looks like a NOS tank. And somehow also there's a spoiler attached to the pen.
I know I'm late to the party, but as a single working mom, seeing your child with their friends and seeing that they've found kind, kindred spirits is a beautiful feeling. The relief felt in knowing that my son hadn't gotten in with the wrong crowd and the lessons I taught were actually sticking is indescribable. He's 19 now, and still so strange, but with me as his mother, he had no choice, lol.
Lol, love Brian's reading of the Goldilocks story. "thieving, lying terrorist in their house". I never realized that there wasn't a moral to the story until now..
Transition / exploring fountain pens described as moving through the wardrobe into Narnia: spot on :)
It is quite funny that a lot of people don't realize the story of Goldilocks really isn't very moral.
My grail pen was the Custom 823. It was very hyped and I had never written with one, so I was afraid it wouldn't meet my expectations. My partner bought it for me as a surprise 1.5 years ago, and it has never not been inked since. I love it, it's my favourite pen.
Thank you for the deep dive on Amazon. I knew some of this, but it’s always good to be armed with information. I’ve had things in my cart for weeks and watched the prices fluctuate over time. And yeah, I definitely find things on Amazon, but I’ll check for creator names and search for a website that will give more of the money to that creator (thinking specifically of tarot decks, my other addiction). Fountain pens are definitely a small business purchase, and Goulet is nearly always my first choice. Thank you for being so dependable and dedicated to service and supporting the hobby you retail for.
Thanks, Crystal! - Drew
😳 I love this @crystalca9082!
I found the fountain pen community thanks to the tarot community, both are passions of mine, good to find more people sharing these spheres 💜🖋🙌
@@LucyLu_meztli Just another tarot and fountain pen person popping in to say, "Hi!"
Personally, my few experiences with Amazon were so bad that I stopped using it. I'd rather buy from a local store that is close (or close-ish, I live in the EU) to me and if there's any issue I know that I can contact them and they'll help me. Also, Amazon doesn't need my money in the least, and there are so many shady things going on that I can't be bothered trying. If I can't find it in normal stores I don't buy it.
@@S.L._ love it, thank you! 💜
I have found so many neat specialty businesses by refusing to shop on Amazon. The service is always better by virtue of there *actually being some service* and often the variety of goods are even better. Finding an online shop that sells nothing but caster wheels, or men's ties, or embroidery supplies or whatever has made shopping online a way better experience. Do I pay for shipping? Yeah, sometimes but a lot of small businesses are able to offer competitive or free shipping prices now. I turned away from Amazon at first because I just didn't trust that I was getting what I ordered, but now it's my last resort if I can't find something anywhere else. Just the McMaster-Carr online catalog is fun to peruse just to see what kind of stuff they have and that business has been around for over 100 years. I love shopping small and online, it's really the best of everything. Keep doing what you do, I would hate to log in to Amazon to shop with Goulet Pens!
I really enjoyed the deep dive into Amazon and retailers. The Goldilocks debate was also gold. Thanks for this episode and the Pencast.
Haha you're very welcome! Thanks for joining us this week! - Drew
Really enjoy your pencast, I learn so much from them.
Drew's face was priceless when Brian was describing his opening chess moves. Just perfect... his eyes and face were telling us, "We all love Brian so we are going to breathe deep, do some inner eye-rolling and ride out this level of chess geekdom that Brian and 1% of our audience are interested in. Don't worry folks, it will end!" You guys are so much fun!
I am here for the chess discussions!
Sounds about right! - Drew
Hey! I couldn't care less about the Super Bowl or anything of the sort, but the chess discussions are fascinating! And far more attractive to non-Americans as well. :-)
Refillable rollerballs are a perfect example of the adage "just because you can doesn't mean you should".
Looking back, I think my love of fountain pens is very directly traceable to my love of the Pilot Precise pens when growing up. I loved the way the wet ink would glisten on the page before drying, seeing the ink slosh in the pen barrel, the fine line and little to no pressure necessary to write. All things common to fountain pens.
For Drew, I really think you should explore doing voice over for cartoons, I think you are just the right amount of crazy imaginitive and expressive that you would be really good at it.
Haha! Thank you very much! I think that would be A LOT of fun! - Drew
I listen to a LOT of audiobooks, so I've heard a variety of voices in that medium. I agree, Drew has a great voice for that sort of thing!
Drew is a Holywood star and doesn't know it yet. He has to find a role in something like Bill and Ted's bogus Adventure or Gremlins :)
And Brian is like Paul Bunyon with his outdoor survival skills with a bit of Macgyver, it is rare to see a nerd with coordination and abilty to work with their hands, or at least that is not me and my friends :)
I love your Fountain Pen 101. I am fascinated by both Drew's and Brian's personalities. . . the first viewing finds me watching and smiling or puzzling....then the second viewing I take notes on what I HEAR.....and HERE is my request...Seeing these pen names spelled out would be an enormous help to my note taking. Thank you for hearing that.
The pencast is my morning elliptical workout programming… I absolutely love everything about you guys…
For some things (like addressing envelopes) waterproof may be more important. An envelope might get wet. With some inks, this would mean that the address is now illegible,
Pilot precise! You just made my heart happy! I can’t take my fountain pens to work because I’m a nurse at a jail…but I am sure going to try to get my favorite fountain pen ink in one of those to see what happens!
Hahahaha Drew, you crack me up with the Dots! I just watched the old episode where your whole office was filled with them (just found you guys so have some to catch up) and now this shows up in this episode. So much fun. Sorry for your disappointment though.
You guys are fun and informative. Hope you will keep doing this for a long time. Thanks!
Hey, big thanks for your comments on my RC car comment last week. It is indeed a huge rabbit hole. It started out with just one and now I have multiple rock crawlers, bashers, a carpet track car, a drag car, etc. Crazy. But it is really fun.
Same with RC aviation, I can confirm.
My original grail pen was a Parker 51. I've always been into vintage pens.
One good reason for refillable rollerballs is landfill ....or lack of it. Why dispose of something when you can refil it ? They make good beater pens in my experience...🤷♂️ All the best 👍
Drew, a “family room” is usually a larger room for casual family time, stemming from the time when formal living rooms (where you receive guests and casual visitors who aren’t a part of your intimate inner circle) were a thing.
Right, "Family Room" is what used to be a "Living Room", "Living Room" is what used to be a "Parlor", Now "Family Room" is "Home Theater".
@@CorwynGC Funnily enough, a parlour here is nowhere in the home. It's usually referred to some type of business (like a barber or a cafe). I didn't know living rooms were called parlours at some point in time 😅
I would get the names confused growing up, and my mom told me the living room is the one you don't actually live in because it's for special occasions. That stuck with me because I was the only person who regularly went in ours in order to practice piano.😆
We called the more formal room for receiving guests the "sitting room" and the less formal one the "den".
“Parlor” hasn’t been used for “living room” for probably a century or more in America, but my British friends occasionally use it. As pointed out in one of the replies, the “living room” was not actually for living; it was the special place that no one ever went into except on very special occasions. The room for fun, family life, and casual visitors was the “den” or sometimes “family room”. My British friends also use the term “sitting room” rather than “living room”.
I’m so glad I’m a week late to this Pencast so I have something great to watch this week 🎉 The discussion on Amazon was very enlightening! Thanks for explaining the co-mingling of the stock there too. Drew, may I ask what is the watch you are wearing? It’s a good looking timepiece.
Thx & write on!
oh yeah....and friggin' lollipops!!! you guys always win on the experience and usually stock availability.
I don't shop Amazon I don't want to shop Amazon. I'm a 72 year old man who loves mom & pop, corner store, companies like yours. Definitely not a market person. You all keep up the great job.
Well, we certainly wouldn't be bothered if you changed your mind, but we do very much appreciate you choosing to support our store! - Drew
2:14:39 Drew making the Devil horns just made me smile so much. Wonderful Pencast (as always). And Drew's "... do bring it back in one piece." gave me life!
what a fun question! I am usually at work or driving during my pen cast listens:) I have an hour and a half or two hour commute to work three days a week.
lol the Surf Ninjas reference. I loved that movie it was so bad but i loved it
Yes, Baby Bear is the "Just Right Zone". Remember, Drew has the Brown Safari, with the Bear. Thus he knows his bears. The point of the story is that when you leave the house to let your porridge cool, lock the door so entitled little brats like Goldilocks don't come in and eat your food and destroy your stuff and leave ball points around the house.
Yes! I'm an official expert now! LOL - Drew
The version I was told and later on found in another book was that they found Goldilocks and they were going to scold her but because she was so pretty (or cute or something like that) they forgave her and let her stay. Even as a child I didn't understand why they'd let someone who just rampaged their house to stay? Or even be ok?
Remember to pick up some blinker fluid with your wipers. There's usually a discount when buying them toghether! :)
Currently writing with my Falcon EF as I listen! It was my first gold nib pen and still holds pride of place in my collection. I've considered buying a second one just to have multiple colors of ink without having to change a pen, haha!
People's grail pens are always interesting. My stratospheric grail pen was and is the Emperor Goldfish; otherwise, my first two grail pens were the E95s in Burgundy/Ivory and the Pelikan M205 Petrol Marbled. I think the closest I have now is a Nahvalur Nautilus Tampa, which I missed by 1 day.
Oooohhhh the Emperor Goldfish is AMAZING! - Drew
Love watching you guys on my weekends, always makes me happy... also I have to say I saw an otter while I was out running this AM which was awesome.
Life pro tip for you both - never make snow angels in a dog park...
Baby Bear's porridge was just right and Goldilocks ate it all up. His chair was just right, but Goldilocks was too big and broke it. His bed was just right and Goldilocks fell asleep in it. Hope this helps! Thanks for the great video!
Can you post the Amazon thoughts as separate video? I do not buy from Amazon for exactly these reasons but I have never been able to articulate my reservations well. This has been very helpful.
Perhaps I will! Thank you for the suggestion! - Drew
I once met a city attorney who focused on consumer issues and she told me that in her experience, other than books, a scary high percentage of things sold on Amazon are counterfeit, expired, poorly stored, grey market etc. It's made me be VERY careful about what I will order from them
A city attorney? One who can just look and tell that something is gray market? Yeah, right. Bet she went through and checked expiration dates, too? Funny that no one I know has ever received an expired product from Amazon. I doubt she ever went inside an Amazon warehouse. An extremely tiny percentage of things may fit this bill, but for the most part it's complete nonsense. Amazon warehouses are immaculately kept, organized, and filled with well-stored products from legitimate companies.
Ninety-eight percent of the complaints about Amazon come from people who know nothing about Amazon, and your city attorney certainly didn't, or from retailers who hate Amazon. Brian gets some of it right, but Amazon is just not the way he thinks it is. If it were, it would be out of business in a month. It never would have become the giant it is in the first place. Nor would thousands of legitimate businesses use it.
There are dishonest people, dishonest sellers, everywhere, and not just on Amazon. They're all over the internet, and even in brick and mortar stores, but the vast majority of Amazon sellers are honest and legitimate, and while I've only seen the inside of one huge Amazon warehouse, I have friends who work in others, and they are all run professionally, and without the nonsense your city attorney claims, and without the mixing of retailer's products. It just does not happen except on EXTREMELY rare occasions.
The Amazon discussion was so interesting. I’ve heard of people buying super cheap fountain pens through Amazon, but I’ve always been weary to buy from Amazon due to some sketchy sellers. This is why for any fountain pens that I buy (especially gold nib ones), I choose to purchase from an authorized seller like you guys (Goulet Pens) because I know I will get the authentic pen, and not some bootleg one.
Which sketchy sellers are those? The only super cheap fountain pens I can find anywhere on Amazon are pens that would be super cheap anywhere. The truth is that the vast, vast majority of fountain pens on Amazon cost the same, and sometimes a touch more, than they do from a non-Amazon retailer. You are not going to get bootleg pens, with the rare exception of the Lamy Safari where you might get a used pen, and you will be buying from authorized dealers.
There are a tiny few sketchy sellers everywhere, including those who do not sell on Amazon. Many of the top brand fountain pens are sold on Amazon by legitimate, authorized retailers. There will always be a tiny few dishonest sellers everywhere, but millions of people buy from Amazon, and have no problems at all.
Always listen to the pencast a day late sadly, Saturday night at work. Thanks for getting this overnight shift lady through her Monday 🙌
Watching this a year later. I am so not into Amazon for anything other than something I need desperately, cannot get around here, and need the day after tomorrow. That and movies. I am glad you have taken a stand on this.
Thank you for addressing the mic issue! Nobody's perfect but, Brian, I see your effort in this episode, so thank you so much.
You asked about refillable roller ball pens. I call them inkballs. Not a huge fan, and I appreciate Brian's take. I have 2 that I use: a J.Herbin cheapie, and a Monteverde One Touch Engage. That darned J.Herbin won't die. I've never cleaned it, have left it for months at a time, and have always left a cartridge in it. It just keeps working. Not smooth, but it works. The Monte works, especially with Noodler's Eel inks (but then the writing never dries). I just don't like how upright I have to hold the pen. Fountain pens are just so much better! One other bit of feedback: Brian said "if you are new to the hobby you don't go vintage" - I disagree. Love my vintage pens, and one of the first pens I ever got was a Parker Vacumatic.
Regarding Grail pens, the Pelikan M800 was huge for me and still is my most expensive pen. It's awesome. I got it to celebrate an important professional milestone and it's a permanent fixture of my desk.
Diamond Dragon Blood is my Junhao dragon (what else would you put in it) for the past 3 years. Regularly sits for 6 months or so. Never a hard start.
Thank you, Brian, for your commentary about Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Funniest thing I heard all day.
I normally tidy up my bird watching observations & my gardening notes while I listen to the pencast. Today I inked new pens tho. I normally watch these in the evening, when the day is over & it's tea & winding down time.
That's really funny that you mention the Eco from TWSBI. I gave an Eco to one of my family and inked it up for them and just a few days ago I went and grabbed it and they hadn't written with it for at least a year I think, I uncapped it and it wrote just fine. It had Noodlers Black in it.
Yes Drew, TUMI bags did that. Not sure if they still do. My husband used to buy them back in the day when you had to lug huge laptops on the commuter train to the city. Their luggage was great too. Really good quality back then.
Have a question that you have probably already answered. But what are some tips for someone going to there first pen show?
I must say, on the ink composition issue, I was really surprised at how little information companies are expected to give. I come from a painting background where the pigment is highly important and is supposed to be specified. Because many compounds are used in both, I've been able to identify some of my acrylic paint colours in my inks: Diamine Aurora Borealis is clearly phtalocyanine-based. The phtalos are the most highly staining and cost effective blue-teal-green family of colours to manufacture, and are still found at super high price ranges in my experience, which means the end user is really paying for the other components and/or packaging.
You definitely know way more than I do about dye components! - Drew
Some blue and green paints are copper based too and chromium greens, though those dyes tend to be more expensive, how much they are used in making dyes for writing and drawing inks I'm not sure, but they are used in textile dyes as well.
@@janatherton9194 Yes, phtalocyanine dyes and pigments are copper based. Chromium oxide as far as I'm aware is too granular to become a dye, which is a shame because it's very lightfast and unique.
Another great podcast. A question on the refillable rollerball. Have you modified a Retro 51 refill with fountain pen ink? I enjoyed your take on what makes an ink "good". There's as many answers as are fountain pen and ink users. Brian, being that you live in a rural area, any plans to install a permanent standby generator at your place so your outage time is only as long as it takes for the transfer switch to swap to the generator as it's kicking on?
So interesting! I learned so much. Thank you. (The sellers/Amazon part)
Oh I know what I'm having for lunch! I haven't had a fried bologna sandwich in ages. Miss that comfort food.😊
Love listening to this as I relax Friday evenings. It helps me wash the week off and get ready for the weekend with my pens and inks! 🎉 Thanks, Drew and Brian!
Thank you for joining us! - Drew
Pilot HiTech is a refillable rollerball that writes basically identically to the precise, but it is compatible with pilot cartridges. I use it all the time at work.
"The worst of both worlds.". I love it. I also love my two Noodler's rollerballs and the roller eel ink. The roller eel is Heart of Darkness with extra lubricant, a charlie roller, and 5 roller tips. The ink does great in both fountain and roller balls. It is a favorite of mine and I don't believe you have it in stock. I bought a Konrad roller too but found it is the same tip as the free charlie.
I think Namiki should do a Batman themed Urushi pen.
They can call it: “Batman and Raden.”
I love it! - Drew
I usually listen to the longer podcasts when im relaxing in the evening.
The 007 Pen - "Licensed to Fill"
I have a question for the Q and A: The little round silver "finial cap" fell off my kaweco brass sport! UGH! I'm blaming it on one of my kids... Anyway, I guess I am going to superglue it back in. Any suggestions on what kind of glue to use? Do you think it's safe to use - even if some glue gets on the brass of the cap? It looks like if I do a good job I can just glue it to the black plastic ring in the top of the cap. THANKS IN ADVANCE.
QUESTION: What is the best custom nib grind for a person getting their first fountain pen nib customization?
I just bought Baystate Blue and love the vibrance of the blue. I am mindful of what pens to put it in but it is hard not to want to use it in everything.
Get your kids together and walkie talkies, and you go to breaker box and flip off, and find out which breakers go with which outlets, switch, etc. Then update the labels in the breaker box, AND each and every outlet and switch with the breaker number. Takes an hour or two, saves TONS of time in the dark.
Goldilocks is a villain. No question. That being said, can we get a Baby Bear holding a bottle of ink sticker, please?
“The refillable rollerball can crawl in thru the kitty door” the CACKLE that gave me
I too can attest to how phenomenal TWSBI pens perform. I've also left my pens (Go, Eco, Diamond, Vac) inked for over a year, using them occasionally. They all wrote as soon as the cap was removed and the nibs hit paper. For this reason alone, all fountain pen users should have at least one as part of their pen collection. What a reliable brand! I would love to see TWSBI offer others designs, similar to those like the Aurora and Draco.
Totally speechless! That 007 pen!
Thank you for whatever you did this episode, it was MUCH better in terms of that deep thumping on the microphone. I think I heard a thumping when you were showcasing the pen, but the balance was perfect and it only happened a little bit. I think also the only reason I heard it is because I was listening for it. Thank you very much for however you fixed it!
We don't use the generator when our power goes out, but I feel you on the water issue! We're on tank water--except for the toilet which is town--but without the pump, there's no other water!!
I freaking LOVE that 007 pen. I need to win lotto...
One of our bigger Canadian pen retailers does sell on Amazon - but they ship everything themselves.
That 007 pen is fantastic. Love the engineering that must have gone into its design. Outstanding. The more engineered pen I have with an interesting fill design is the GvFC Intuition wood fountain pens.
I have a Parker Jotter . I dont use to much but I do enjoy using it when I do ,
Happy Valentines Day. You two have some amazing partners
Drew, I have the exact same Yeti travel coffee mug that you have, only mine is black. Take it to the gym every morning.
I... listen to the Pencast either at work on Friday mornings when I have nothing going on (I can't listen to words and read/think at the same time), or later while I game (Diablo 2: Resurrected currently). I listen to other long podcasts when I fold laundry - I just don't fold laundry on Fridays, otherwise the Pencast would probably also be up for that.
Cracking caps 🤣@PenBoyRoy, they're talking about you.
This could be a helpful / interesting segment: gift ideas for graduates! I’m interested to know some professional, mid-level pens that would be celebratory gifts for a college or law school grad. Any ideas?
Question:
Do you think that TWSBI will ever make an Eco Mini?
Or would that cut into the sales of their TWSBI Mini?
I have 3 Monteverde Engage One Touch rollerballs that use fountain pen ink. It was not until I replaced the tips that came with them with broad tips did they write no matter what or how long between uses. The best of both worlds to be sure!
Well, for me a fountain pen nib is the best of the fountain pen world, and no rollerball offers a nib. There simply is no experience like writing with a soft gold nib that you know how to use.
I find that on specialty items, at least in Canada, the prices on Amazon are not always lower than in the online shops of specialized retailers. And sometimes, some products are only available on Amazon, mostly in smaller markets like CAnada
Regarding refillable rollerballs. 3 or 4 years ago I bought a Zebra R-301 RB rollerball pen and a package or cartridges for it. These cartridges look very close to the old Sheaffer cartridges we use to get for our Sheaffer school pens. The Zebra has been working without fail since I got it. I wouldn't refill the cartridge with FP ink though but the ink in their cartridges could be considered rock solid for this pen. It's the only non FP pen that I've had and used since getting it.
I just got a J. Herbin refillable rollerball pen. I like writing with it, but it makes me want to print. What's up with that? I still prefer my fountain pens for letter writing, but the refillable rollerball is inexpensive so I use it when I"m out and about and I won't cry if it gets lost or broken. If I lost my every day carry fountain pen some tears would definitely be shed!
I’m a Goulet customer and have spent a lot of money there. However I can’t deny that I’m getting tempted from Amazon, the pricing difference is so HUGE, sometimes over 50%. Like the pilot e95s was $70 on Amazon Vs $144 at US retailers. Sailor 1911 on Amazon are less than half the cost of US retailers.
The customer service aspect I totally respect, but it’s a fountain pen so most people will not need customer service. 99% of the time the pen will just work as expected.
In the end I’ll purchase from Goulet because I appreciate the knowledge I have gained from your videos and blogs, and because I can afford it. But for someone who is on a money crunch, I can see why Amazon would be the way to go.
Honestly, I think the reason fountain pens are so cheap on Amazon is because they're used or clearance items that fell off the back of a truck.
I've bought several fountain pens from Amazon. I normally buy pens that aren't quite $100 on goulet for the free shipping.
I did not come to this pencast expecting to hear Drew talking about my favourite childhood movie, Surf Ninjas! You're right, it was sooo bad
Haha yes, it was! But so fun. - Drew
I'm not terribly ambitious yet. I think my grail pen is a Sailor Pro Gear. Right now I've only sampled entry-level pens - a Cross Aventura and a TWSBI Go. I have my eye on a few next-level pens, though. Conklin Duragraph and TWSBI 580 both look delightful.
I missed the question about what we do while watching. I'm sure I'm not the only one who knits! If you also knit, or crochet, +1 below!
For my judgement on what makes an ink good:
-Its not dry.
-It doesn't feather.
-It doesn't crust up on the nib.
-Its readable. Being to light or having too much shading can ruin the ink.
"Being to light or having too much shading can ruin the ink."
I definitely agree with this.
I apologize in advance for being annoying. You come out of the portal at the same speed, not velocity. Velocity has a directional component which is not retained when traveling through the portal. Not that it's actually a big deal to use those interchangeably. So long as you are understood it doesn't really matter what term you use. I just thought that it would be fun to know.
Really interesting hearing Brian's experience with the M800!
I got my first gold-nibbed pen when I was 10 (a present from my grandmother, an old lever-fill Parker that I'm sure had been in a cupboard somewhere. Sold. Even used it to write my finals, with a bottle of ink on the desk!!).
My 40th present was a Serious Pen, went into a pen shop and tried various posh pens, including a Parker Duofold, and a Mont Blanc, but liked the M400 better than any of the others. Since bought a couple of M600s (prefer the size), one with a broad nib and one with a medium :)
Then got put onto TWSBI ECO... that's now my lives-in-my-handbag pen (as if it gets lost, it's a tenth of the price to replace than the M600).
Re the Amazon thing: I'm in the UK, so buying from you guys isn't really viable, I buy from Cult Pens instead (and they are my first look for all pens/ink/stationery etc.).
Hi Drew and Brian, in response to your discussion on good vs bad ink, I’ve been searching for the right inks for specific pens and situations. For example for the infrequent times I have to write a check (about 1-2 / month) I was struggling with ink bleeding on crappy check paper. Goulet customer service recommended writing with the “finest nib I could stand and pair it with TWSBI blue/black.” I had Twsbi black and a Diamond 580 ALR EF that I tried while waiting for the blue/black to arrive. It was better. But kudos to your customer service rep! Blue/Black from TWSBI was the clear winner.
Now a second example: I was so discouraged with one of my grail pens Lamy Dialog C3 when it was drying out so bad. I changed the ink recently to Sailor Kakitsubata! YAY it now writes beautifully with no drying out so far. I’ll let you know how long it makes it.
Thanks for all your work on the pen casts. I look forward to them every week.
This is why I love the Pencast, I did not know that refillable rollerballs even existed, too bad they are the worst of both worlds. That 007 pen, I am amazed at the level of detail they went to in creating that package. So now I gotta know, Drew and Brian, if you could have 1 limited special edition fountain pen, which would you chose and why?
And....the Varsity is the fountain pen version of the Precise. I'm looking at the label on the package.
I liked the Zebra R301. It took cartridges. Since they discontinued them, I refill them with Waterman Serenity Blue. I don't know why this ink is falling out of favor. It works really well even in problem pens.
I’ve got my 3 grail pens from Goulet! Pilot custom 823, Pilot Metal Falcon and Pilot Vanishing Point! Next up is a custom Urushi, problem is it’s 1500.00 from Goulet and 850.00 from pensachi?
yay pencast
Just ordered a pelikan m605 now i’m even more nervous 😅
The discussion on what makes a good ink was interesting and thought provoking. To me it's about predictable consistency. As soon as I put my pen onto the paper, I have committed to what I'm about to do. I have to either finish what I've started or throw it away and start again. I want all the reasons for disposal to be because of my own deficiencies - poor handwriting, spelling errors, misjudging my word spacing - and not due to the ink suddenly doing something weird that I did not ask it to do. Particularly if I am writing in a bound journal rather than a Rhodia pad (where I can just rip it off and start again), I really don't want my inks to adversely surprise me.