All That Glitters

J. Herbin Special Edition Ink -- Stormy Grey.

My go-to gray ink has always been Noodler's Lexington.

In an odd day epiphany I realized I like gray ink because it
looks like pencil. (But that's just me.)

The announcement about Herbin's newest special edition came
out late last year and the ink quickly sold out.



The attraction -- ?



GOLD.

The ink has real gold flecks suspended in the fluid. This lays down a line with an extra special glitter.












Other online reviews suggest a broad nib might be the best instrument
for this ink. I tried a watercolor brush, Q-tip, Lamy - fine and broad nib. The
swab showed the most gold, but even the fine nib showed the gold. If one looked
closely.

At first this warning worried me --



I didn't completely fill the reservoir, but I have left the ink in the pen for over a week now. I gently rock the pen back and forth a couple of times before I start to write and so far ... no clogs and the gold shows up.

I used a Lamy Safari for the test. I don't know if I'd be so bold with a more expensive pen.

A 50ml bottle costs $26. This ink continues to sell out quickly.




UPDATE - March 12th.

I kept Stormy Grey in the Lamy Safari (fine nib) since I first posted this and had no trouble at all. I do give the pen a good shake to get the gold dispersed before writing.

But use your discretion. I assume that scary warning is there for a reason.


Photos with Nikon 5200 + Micro-Nikkor 60mm. Paper - Moleskine and Pentalic Paper for Pens.

Driving While Distracted

Sitting at a stoplight.

Guy, next car over, texting.

However did we survive

when

we weren't connected

24/7

?

EPISODE 86: In Which, I Give Up

Three years ago I bought a Noodler's Ahab fountain pen with a flex nib called Ivory Darkness. It was cheap.

It was pretty.

It was cool.

It turned out to be a huge pain in the ass.

I have pages and pages that look like this -- where I'm trying to get the pen started or restarted.

Pages and pages in my journal where I write -- Ahab is behaving today. But, alas, even more like this -- I can't get this &^%$! pen to work right.

Of course, there is help on the internet.

I followed instructions and videos. Adjusted the nib, adjusted the feed. Tried it without the little feeder tube and with. Wet ink. Dry ink. Prayers to the Ink Goddess.

Crossed my inky fingers and hoped to write.

No joy in Inkville.

I saw a post on the Fountain Pen Network suggesting Ahab troubles might be cured by abandoning the flex nib. Turn it into a regular fountain pen.

Aha!

I have thrown this pen away and rescued it from the trash twice. I couldn't bear to give it up.

It was pretty.

It felt nice in hand.

I bought a new nib and a new feed. Heat sealed it via video instructions and ... voila ... until the cartridge converter threads gave up the ghost, and so did I.

I'd been "adjusting" this pen for three years.

Three.

And although it had qualities I liked, eventually, pain-in-the-ass trumped pretty.

Especially when I have pens that are dreams with which to write. Sailor, KawecoSport, Waterman, even the cheap Lamy is a no-trouble implement.

So, the Ahab gets one more page in my journal.

You Might Be In Montana ...

Driving to town yesterday, I saw a Golden Eagle fishing off an ice floe.

Followed by these two thoughts.

1. I love where I live.

2. Baby, it's cold outside.