While the gel pen doesn’t have the storied history of the ballpoint, it’s still quite interesting. The gel pen’s history is much briefer and clearer, so read on to learn all about the origins of one of the best pen types sold today.
Within most families of Japanese pens there is usually a premium model. It might be called the “Premier” or “Executive” or “Prime” but the goal is always the same: a nicer version of a pen that you use every day.
Continue reading “Premium Japanese Pens: What Is An Executive Pen And Which Should You Choose?”
Fountain pens are sensitive things. It’s all too easy to break, snap, bend, or tweak one just a bit too far, leaving your favorite pen broken. And nib replacements from the manufacturer can be expensive, nearly the price of the pen itself (much more if you bought the pen used), so they aren’t always the best option.
Luckily some fountain pen nibs are interchangeable.
Black fountain pen ink tests to be the workhorse ink of many people. Blues can be for work or fun, same with reds, while the purples and oranges are more expressive and usually saved for personal activities. Black ink, despite its huge varieties, tends to be an ink for getting stuff done.
So what’s the best black fountain pen ink for day-to-day use?
Everyone knows about multi-pens — pens that contains multiple colors and sometimes a pencil — but what about multi-pencils? These are much rarer, but they do exist (and they are quite cool).
If you have been buying pens online, at Amazon in particular, then you’ve probably spotted Arteza’s affordable pens. What’s the deal with this popular, but lesser known company?
Searching for the best paper for one’s fountain pen is a very common quest in the pen world. Like fountain pen ink, paper is relatively affordable and sold in unlimited varieties so this is a hunt that can last for decades.
Let’s cut down on that search time with some suggestions on the best fountain pen paper.
With so much work happening on computers people have less need for desk pads… but we still love them! These large paper pads are simply the best for quick notes, writing down a phone number, or scribbling ideas while on a conference call.
Large desk pads that use top quality paper are are hard to find these days, but they still exist. After doing a lot of research and more than a bit of testing, here are our favorites.
Continue reading “The Best Paper Desk Pads For Your Home Office”
When discussing fountain pen ink people will often talk about “sheen” and how desirable it is. But what is sheen? What causes it? Which inks have the best sheen?
Read on to find out.
It’s a popular question: Can I refill a fountain pen cartridge? The answer is a firm yes! You can, and you should. This reduced your use of plastic and can save you lots of money.
Platinum is one of Japan’s “Big Three” pen companies, but it doesn’t seem to get the same level of attention as the other two, at least in the United States. Despite that, Platinum makes some of our favorite fountain pens.
If you are considering buying a Platinum fountain pen which should you lean towards? Which are sure-fire hits that no one can deny is a great pen? Read on to find out.
If you are shopping for a very affordable — as in sub-$30, sub-$20, or even sub-$5 — fountain pen and you want high-end features like screw-on cap, included converter, or piston-filling mechanism then you are shopping for a Chinese fountain pen. Brands like Wing Sung and Jinhao offer incredible value for the money, but they might have some shortcomings that we don’t expect from standard fountain pen purchases.
The Rotring 600 is a wonderful pen and an icon of writing instrument design. That said, it’s not for everyone. So if you want a pen like the Rotring 600 but different, what should you get?
If you really get down to it, what is the beating heart of a high-end pen? Most people would agree that it’s the ink. While that’s not generally the feeling here at Unsharpen — we are pen geeks after all — it’s hard to argue that point if you aren’t as into pens.
With this thinking in mind, here is how you can get a top-notch Montblanc rollerball refill into a highly affordable pen body, like the Pilot G2. That’s the heart of a $200+ pen but with a total cost of about $97.
Paper sizes are an unfortunately confusing thing. You just want some printer paper or a notebook and instead you are choosing between “A4” and “B5” and other unhelpful options. Maybe you are better off when switching to numbers, like “8.5 by 11” but we’ve all made the mistake of ordering legal paper when we meant to get normal.
This guide should help you sort out all your paper size problems.