Field Notes Centipede! Blackbird Tar Field Notes Notebook Review

Blackbird Tar Field Notes

The mad scientists at Blackbird Ballard have taken three Field Notes Pitch Black Edition notebooks and bound them together with their “tar formula” and added a cord to keep the notebook closed.  The end result is a very unusual looking 144 page notebook.

The Tar Field Notes arrive in a black bag  with a tape "X"
The Tar Field Notes arrive in a black bag with a tape “X”

As a Seattle native and fan of the Blackbird store I decided to buy this mutant Field Notes for $28 (yes $28!!!) and see if it was any good.

Blackbird Tar Field Notes

The “tar” appears to be quite durable and while a bit stiff at first, the binding relaxes and the notebook becomes nice to use.  Blackbird uses their tar formula on its wallets and pouches so it should hold up through to the last page of the notebook.

Blackbird Tar Field Notes

The Field Notes Pitch Black have Finch 50#T paper with a dot grid and while it is not the most fountain pen friendly paper, I find that it works well enough with fine nibbed pens.

The notebook also features thick tar covered page marker which is a nice addition.  I have have been using the three different notebooks together such that I have 1 book for to-dos and reminders, 1 book for ideas and doodling and 1 book for the blog (with a list of reviews outstanding, ideas, pens to sell and pens to buy).

Blackbird Tar Field Notes

I have been enjoying this notebook immensely.  The main downside (apart from the price) is that it’s less pocketable than a single Field Notes (it does fit in my pants pockets but it’s bulky.

Do I recommend it?  That would depend on how you like to use your Field Notes.

If you normally carry your Field Notes around in your pants pocket, then no, I definitely do not recommend them, but if you throw them in a bag as I do and you appreciate the “design” then I say  go for it.

Waterford Kilbarry Guilloche Fountain Pen Quick Review

Waterford Kilbarry Fountain Pen

Waterford is synonymous with fine leaded crystal, so I was surprised to learn that they make fountain pens (or at least have someone else make fountain pens under their name).

If you search for “Waterford Kilbarry” you will see plates and flatware under the same name, though I don’t see much correlation in design.

Guilloche pattern up close
Guilloche pattern up close

The most interesting feature of the Kilbarry is the amber-colored solid brass body which features an engraved “guilloche” pattern that is covered in a clear lacquer.  This design gives the body some depth and it shimmers in the light.

The rest of the pen is decidedly less interesting.  The gold furniture and black end caps are not that appealing when taken in as a whole.  The top of the cap features the Waterford star symbol which does resemble a classic Waterford crystal design.

Waterford crystal Martini glass base with star design.
Waterford crystal martini glass base with star design.

The large two-tone steel nib is produced by Jowo in Germany and features “1789” (the year of Waterford’s founding), the Waterford seahorse symbol and the absence of a breather hole.    The nib also reads “Germany” which to me makes the nib seem cheap.  That is not a knock against, Germany, it is just that many mass produced nibs I have come across read “iridium point Germany.”

Waterford Kilbarry Fountain Pen

The nib performs beautifully with a fat, juicy medium line.  I have experienced no issues with hard starting or skipping.  The Klibarry takes standard international cartridges and converters.

The grip section is made out of black plastic with no seams that I can detect and the cap posts nicely on the the back of the pen.  Being that the pen has a solid brass body it weighs almost 41 grams (with the converter installed).  The pen is well balanced when posted but I find that I prefer to write cap off with this pen.

Capped, the pen measures 5.25″ and about 4.8″ uncapped.  At it’s widest point the Kilbarry measures just over half an inch.

Waterford Kilbarry Fountain Pen

The build quality overall is quite good, the Waterford star on the top of the cap isn’t cut as crisply as it could be but otherwise there are no real flaws to speak of.  I don’t know where this pen is made but I would suspect it is made somewhere in Asia.

The Kilbarry feels nice in hand and writes very well but ultimately it’s not my cup of tea.  The $135 retail price is quite high and I think this pen would make more sense around $70.

Pen Shopping in Paris and Copenhagen

Round 2: Shopping in Paris and Copenhagen.

Paris has a number of excellent pens stores but the one that really stood out to me was Mora Stylos.

 

Mora Stylos Paris

This beautiful little shop has the best selection of quality pens that I saw on my entire trip.  So what do they offer?  In addition to most major brands, they had a very nice selection of mint to near mint vintage pages as well as a beautiful selection of new old stock pens.  They also have an impressive selection of highly optioned Nakaya pens. The sales woman showed me one where the clip had been painted in the same midori urushi lacquer as the barrel; she was proud to say that this was a custom option that had only been done for their store.

The real star of the store though is Oldwin pens, these pens are made specifically for the shop and feature huge customized number 7 and number 8 Bock nibs.  What really stands out with these pens are the materials used.  They select very old materials like hard rubber from an 1930s bocce ball and vintage celluloid used by OMAS.  The result is a stunningly beautiful collection of pens.  Each pen is a one off; no two pens are the same.  I got the chance to write with a medium nibbed Oldwin with a”cracked ice” (black with white veins) celluloid body and the pen wrote beautifully.  The nib was a true medium and not the overly fat medium I am accustomed to with many European pens.

I did not buy an Oldwin but I do hope to add one to my collection at some point.  It is advantageous to be a foreigner when buying an Oldwin pen because when purchased through Mora’s website you get the VAT removed from the price and free shipping.  The sales women also stated that when you place an order you can request minor customizations to the nib, to increase or decrease the flow of the pen free of charge.

If you only visit one pen store in Paris, this is it.

Copenhagen:

I am sorry to say that I was only able to find one pen store in Copenhagen and while they had a large selection of new Montblancs, and Lamy pens that was really about it.

Stelling A/S Copenhagen

On the plus side Copenhagen did have some amazing food:

Geranium Copenhagen
“Dillstone”: Mackerel, Horseradish & Granita from Pickled Cucumber

 

Geranium Copenhagen
Jerusalem Artichoke, Rye & Walnut

Uni-Ball 5 Roller Ball Pen Review

Uni-Ball 5 Roller Ball Pen

The Uni-Ball 5 is a roller ball pen that I can find almost no information on.  I couldn’t find this pen on Mitsubishi’s (Uni) Japanese site (http://www.mpuni.co.jp/) nor on their US site nor on Google.  Here is what I do know:

I bought this pen from Itoya in Tokyo for 100 YEN (a bit less than a $1USD).  It is a roller ball with a 0.5mm point.  The ink is ultra smooth and fast drying.

Uni-Ball 5 Roller Ball Pen

I put the Uni-Ball 5 up again three other traditional roller balls, the Pilot V Ball, the Pilot Precise Rolling Ball, and the Uni-Ball Deluxe Micro (all 0.5mm).

Uni-Ball 5 Roller Ball Pen

The Uni-Ball 5 was the clear winner for me.  The lines are tight and sharp and it’s the smoothest writer out of all of them.  In terms of price its most clear competitor is the Pilot Precise Rolling Ball and comparing them more closely the Pilot had a more liquid and fluid feel where the Uni had a more viscous, thicker feel (though clearly a liquid ink).  I also found that the dry times for the Uni-Ball 5 were faster than that of the Pilot Precise.  With that said the Pilot Precise’s feel on paper is more unique and a bit more fun but objectively it really isn’t a better pen.

Uni-Ball 5 Roller Ball Pen

In short the Uni-Ball is the best writing disposable roller ball pen I have come across under $1.  I almost think I might like it better than the Ohto Graphic Liner.  I don’t know how to buy them in the USA, so if anyone out there knows of a place or has more information on this pen I would love to hear from you.

Success!!! Pen Shopping in Zürich and Milano

1938 OMAS Extra Lucens
1938-1939 OMAS Extra Lucens

Six days in and finally today I found a grail pen in Milano, a late 1930s OMAS Extra Lucens!!!

The shop:

Cartoleria Novecento

Cartoleria Novecento

 

Run by Albert and Alberta (husband and wife).  Albert spoke fluent English and could not have been more friendly.  His shop sells vintage and new fountain pens as well as stationery and other antiques.  He had some beautiful Italian rolled gold safety pens as well as a good number of vintage American pens.  He showed me many pens, including some magnificent new old stock OMAS and Namiki pens.  I saw the vintage OMAS Extra Lucens and I knew it had to be mine.  That makes two Extra Lucens from me in one month *doh!* (I might have to eat ramen for the next couple of years).  I am contemplating going back for the limited edition reproduction E.E. Ercolessi fountain pen produced by OMAS.

While in Milano I also checked out a couple of other pen stores:

The famed E.E. Ercolessi:

E.E. Ercolessi

E.E. Ercolessi only sells new pens and stationery.  The selection was generous and the staff were very friendly but the prices are pretty close to retail and ultimately not favorable when translated from Euros to USD.

The last shop I visited in Milano was Brunori:

Brunori

Run by Joseph Brunori, this small shop features a good number of Italian pens from Aurora, OMAS, Delta, Visconti and Marlen as well as pens from Montblanc, Faber-Castell, Kaweco, Lamy and Twsbi.  Joseph was kind to me despite my horrendous Italian and showed me several pens. Inside the shop he displays pens from his personal collection which included beautiful vintage American pens from Waterman and Parker.  He also had a very nice collection of vintage ink bottles.

 

In Zürich I found a few stationery/pen shops but only one that I feel is a must see:

Landolt-Arbenz

Landolt-Arbenz

This beautiful store features three floors of writing instruments and related accessories.  The basement floor features the majority of the fountain pens and stationery as well as one of the best displays of ink I have ever seen.  They had a huge selection of Abraxas ink and the discontinued versions of Sailor Jentle and Caran d’Ache inks as well as ink from many other brands, Stipula, Montblanc, Pilot, Montegrappa and others.  Landolt-Arbenz also has their own line of ink (made in Italy) and stationery.  I wanted to try their ink but decided against it as the design of the bottle was a shallow rectangular shape which is not a particularly usable design for an ink bottle.

As far as fountain pens go they had a beautiful selection of Nakayas, Caran d’Ache, and some amazing limited editions such as a Cartier Eagle which is an insane 33,000 CHF (approximately $37k USD) fountain pen!!!

The stationery at Landolt-Arbenz is beautiful but expensive. There was a wonderful A6 sized leather bound notebook that I was going to buy until I saw the 230 CHF price tag.

Next stop: Paris

Nock Co. Chimneytop Pen Case Review

Small mandarin Chimneytop
Small mandarin Chimneytop
Medium midnight Chimneytop
Medium midnight Chimneytop

The Chimneytop is a simple zippered pouch for pens and accessories.  They are sold as a set of two, you get one small size and one medium size.  They are made out of a 1000D textured nylon that is very much like Cordura.  The small size measures about  7″ long and the medium measures about 7.5″ long.  I found both of them to be a tight squeeze from my freshly sharpened wooden pencils.  This isn’t a big deal as soft cases are not ideal for carrying wooden pencils but I thought it was worth pointing out.

Nock Co. Chimneytop Pen Case

Bottom of the medium Chimneytop.
Bottom of the medium Chimneytop.

Per the Nock Co. website the small Chimneytop has a capacity of 6 pens and the medium has a 12 pen capacity.  I was able to almost double these figures but obviously the size of the pens you carry is an important factor.

Here is the small mandarin Chimneytop with 11 pens:

Small Chimneytop with 11 pens.
Small Chimneytop with 11 pens.

Nock Co. Chimneytop Pen Case

Nock Co. Chimneytop Pen Case
Not a bad stash for such a small case.

Here is the medium midnight Chimneytop with 21 pens:

Medium Chimneytop with 22 pens.
Medium Chimneytop with 21 pens.

Nock Co. Chimneytop Pen Case

Nock Co. Chimneytop Pen Case

I found that I preferred the smaller size.  It’s proportions are a bit more attractive to me and the thick 1000D fabric gives the small Chimneytop more structure than the medium which was more blob like.  The set is sold for $12 and for an American-made product constructed out of hardwearing materials the price is a steal.

Nock Co. Chimneytop Pen Case

 

Here is a great review of the Nock Co. Chimneytop pen case:

(I have no affiliation to the site linked below)

patrickrhone – A Brief Review — The Chimneytop Pop-Up Zip Case by Nock Co.

 

Loadout For 16 Days in Europe

Aurora Ipsilon Nock Co Loadout

I am heading off to Europe tonight for a 16 day trip spread between Denmark, Switzerland, Italy and France.  I thought it would be fun to show what pen and paper related items I will be bringing along.

I am bringing my Nock Co. Hightower three plus one bifold with a Caran d’Ache Ecridor pencil, Aurora Ipsilon Metallic fountain pen, Pilot Hi-Tec C Coleto Lumio multi-pen, Field Notes Shelterwood Edition, and a 5 pack of king size Aurora black ink cartridges.

I am also bringing a Rhodia Reverse Book, my Midori Traveler’s Notebook (passport size) with a Field Notes Bic Click ballpoint pen and my every day carry set, the Zebra SL-F1 and Maruman Mnemosyne Modified A7 memo pad.

 

Midori World Meister’s Note Vol. 2 “Santina” Notebook Review

Midori World Meister’s Note Vol. 2 Santina

The World Meister’s Note is a collection from Midori that fuses Japanese craft with the craft of other countries.  In Vol 2 you get a Dutch “leather paper” cover and Midori’s much loved MD paper.  The edition is called “Santina” because that is the name of the Dutch manufacturer that makes the leather paper cover.

Specs
The plastic wrapper includes details on the notebook.

The cover is smooth and pliable.  I like the way it feels in my hands; no one will mistake it for leather but it has a nice smooth almost rubberized feel to it.

Midori World Meister’s Note Vol. 2 Santina

 

The notebook has “Santina” embossed on the front cover and “The World Meister’s Note” embossed on the spine.

Midori World Meister’s Note Vol. 2 Santina

Inside cover.
Inside cover.

My favorite feature of this notebook is the pages have blue edges that match the color of the cover and “SANTINA” in white letters.  It just looks awesome.

Santina notebook with Sailor Shu-Katsu Multi-pen
Santina notebook with Sailor Shu-Katsu Multi-pen

Inside the notebook you will find 192 pages (96 leafs) of grid 5mm MD paper.

Midori World Meister’s Note Vol. 2 Santina

As I am sure you already know, MD paper performs phenomenally with fountain pens and you wont have any issues with bleeding or ghosting.  It really is one of the best fountain pen papers on the market.

 

Midori World Meister’s Note Vol. 2 Santina

The binding is stitched and has many small signatures.

Midori World Meister’s Note Vol. 2 Santina

I did find that the leather paper is a bit stiff and prevents the notebook from lying flat.  As with all Midori paper products the quality and attention to detail is exceptional.  I have reviewed all four notebooks in the World Meister’s Note series and I think the Santina is definitely the best looking but I find the cover to be too stiff for my tastes.

Midori World Meister’s Note Vol. 2 Santina

The Santina, comes in a couple of sizes and colors.  The notebook I reviewed is the blue A6 version.  I had difficultly locating these in the USA and ultimately ending finding one while on a trip to Tokyo.  If I recall correctly the retail price for this notebook in Japan is about 1,000 yen (aprox $10 USD) and for that price it’s not bad.

Below are my reviews of the other editions in the series:

Vol. 1 “Dainel”

Vol. 3 “Grain”

Vol. 4 “Katagami”

Here is a great review of the Santina notebook:

(I have no affiliation to the site linked below)

East…West…Everywhere – Midori The World Meister’s Note – Santina

 

Delta Horsepower Fountain Pen Review

Delta Horsepower Fountain Pen The Delta Horsepower is the first Delta pen I have had my hands on and I have to say that I am impressed.  Thank you to my new friends at Pen Chalet for the opportunity to test this beautiful pen.

Appearance

When you look the Horsepower the first thing you notice is the cap.   I have been told that it is supposed to look like a birds eye view of a Formula 1 car.  None of the Delta materials that came with the pen explicitly say anything about the cap design.  That is a strange omission if you ask me. Here is a picture of a Williams Mercedes F1 car from last weekends Austrian Grand Prix:

My father and brother were lucky enough to be invited to the Austrian Grand Prix last weekend as guests of Red Bull.
My father and brother attended the Austrian Grand Prix last weekend as guests of Red Bull and I was lucky enough to get some of their pictures 🙂
Can you see the resemblance?
Can you see the resemblance?

With the F1 car context and squinting really hard I can kind of see it, but it’s a stretch.  I like the cap and I think I would like it even more if I didn’t know that it was supposed to look like an F1 car. The hand polished red resin body is beautiful.  It’s a really deep rich red.  Continuing the race car theme there is a wide band of real carbon fiber around the barrel and unlike the carbon fiber on the Kaweco AC Sport I reviewed, it is very well finished, no loose fibers here. Delta Horsepower Fountain Pen The ruthenium coated trim pairs beautifully with the carbon fiber.   The thick cap ring is imprinted with “HORSEPOWER”.  I would have preferred lettering that was a bit less bold but with the dark ruthenium trim it doesn’t jump out too much. That back of the cap is engraved “DELTA ITALY” and is numbered “0295”.  This is not a limited edition but I definitely like that the pens are numbered, it’s a nice touch that I don’t see on many pens. Delta Horsepower Fountain Pen The big arched clip is quite nice looking, especially when viewed from the side.  I do notice that it sits a bit crooked and looking at other pictures of this pen it seems to be common; it’s not a big deal but worth pointing out. Delta Horsepower Fountain Pen The nib is also ruthenium plated and features some pretty standard looking scrollwork and a Delta logo. Delta Horsepower Fountain Pen I don’t normally talk about boxes because I think they are boring but the Horsepower’s packaging was quite well done so I thought I should include some pictures: Delta Horsepower Fountain Pen Delta Horsepower Fountain Pen All in all I really like the look of this pen.  The high quality deep red resin and carbon fiber really make for a sporty looking pen. Score: 3.5/5

Build Quality

The fit and finish is a real stand out on this pen; it is excellent.  The Delta paperwork states that the pen is entirely made in Italy.  The resin body is hand turned from a solid rod and polished by hand.  It doesn’t look or feel like the cheap plastic that many similarly priced pens are made of.

Lots of paperwork.  It's nice to have an authentication card with a serial number.
Lots of paperwork. It’s nice to have an guarantee card with a serial number.

There are no seams on the body and everything fits tightly.  Someone definitely took care in making this pen.  The only thing that is a bit off is the clip; it is slightly crooked but it doesn’t seem to affect the function of the pen. The Horsepower has a steel Bock nib that doesn’t appear to be overly modified like the Bock nibs you find on some Visconti and OMAS pens.  That’s not a knock to the build quality but it is relevant when considering how much this pen might cost to make. Score: 4/5

Size & Weight

The Horsepower measures approximately 5.6” capped and 4.6” uncapped.  It’s 0.6” in diameter at its widest point.  It’s a pretty thick pen.  With ink cartridge installed it weighs 26 grams.  The pen posts well on the body but I found it to be a bit top heavy so I prefer to use the Horsepower with the cap off. Delta Horsepower Fountain Pen I don’t usually give much thought to the shape of the grip section but the combination of a fat section with a convex shape didn’t feel ideal to me.  Most of my daily writers with fat sections have a concave shape that feels more secure to me.  It could be that I am just used to the concave shape….the Horsepower never felt like it was going to slip out of my hands and overall it is a very comfortable pen that I have enjoyed using. Score: 3.5/5

Performance

The fine ruthenium plated steel Bock nib performed flawlessly.  No hard starting or skipping, just smooth even lines.  The flow is average; I wouldn’t call it wet or dry. Delta Horsepower Fountain Pen The nib doesn’t have much in the way of character and as you would expect from a steel nib there isn’t any line variation to speak of.  If you are seeking a bit of flair, the Delta Horsepower is available with a stub nib. Delta Horsepower Fountain Pen Score: 3/5

Filling System

Delta Horsepower Fountain Pen The Horsepower takes standard international cartridges/converters and comes with one black Delta cartridge.  Interestingly, it does not come with a converter; that’s a pretty unusual thing to leave out on a pen with a $225 retail price.  A converter only costs a few dollars so while not a big deal it does make the package less complete. Score: 2/5

Value

With a street price of $180 I do believe you get your money’s worth but it’s important to think about your priorities for a fountain pen.  In this price range there are a lot of wonderful pens.  Do you want a pen with a solid gold nib or do you want a pen with a beautifully handcrafted body? For the same money you could have a Lamy 2000, or a Platinum 3776, or a Namiki Falcon, or a Pilot Vanishing Point.  None of these pens will be able to match the look and feel of the Horsepower’s body but they all have solid gold nibs.  A gold nib is not necessarily a better nib but it can potentially be softer or more springy. The Horsepower is also available with a Delta Fusion nib for a retail price of $395.  I have no experience with Fusion nibs but it is my understanding that they are part gold and part steel.  Without trying it I cannot say if its worth the extra money. Score: 3.5/5

Bottom Line

Confusing cap design aside, the Horsepower is a beautifully made pen that performs like a champion. Final Score 19.5/30

Midori World Meister’s Note Vol. 4 “Katagami” Notebook Review

Midori World Meister Vol. 4 Katagami

The World Meister’s Note is a collection from Midori that fuses Japanese craft with the craft of other countries.  Volume 4 is called “Katagami” and features a collaboration with Swedish design brand Brita.  The notebook features handmade Ise Stencil Paper.

Midori World Meister Vol. 4

Midori World Meister Vol. 4 Katagami

I love everything about this notebook except the look of cover.  It’s a bit too feminine for my tastes but I love the elastic and the slim A6 size which measures 3.9″ wide by  5.8″ high.

Midori World Meister Vol. 4 Katagami

The cover has a smooth waxy feel but does not feel special like all previous volumes of the World Meister’s Note series that I have reviewed.

Midori World Meister Vol. 4 Katagami

Inside the book you will find 160 pages (80 sheets) of high quality Japanese Ise Katagami paper.  The paper is awesome and definitely my favorite part of this edition.

Midori World Meister Vol. 4 Katagami

You will notice that the lines on the Ise Katagami paper are not perfectly straight.  This is because the print is hand carved by a master craftsman.

Midori World Meister Vol. 4 Katagami

The paper performs beautifully; no bleed and no real ghosting.  The paper is smooth but has a bit more feedback than Rhodia paper.  I found the dry times to be slightly better than Rhodia.

Midori World Meister Vol. 4 Katagami

Like all Midori products the Katagami Notebook is very well made.  It has a stitched binding and tiny little signatures.  If they made a bit more attractive cover this one would definitely be my favorite of the series.  I paid $16 for this notebook at a local Japanese stationery shop and thats a lot of money for a little notebook but I do believe you get what you pay for.

Check out my reviews of previous World Meister’s Note Volumes:

Midori World Meister’s Note Vol. 1 “Dainel”

Midori World Meister’s Note Vol. 2 “Santina” (coming soon)

Midori World Meister's Vol. 2 "Santina" Notebook Review

Midori World Meister’s Note Vol. 3 “Grain” Memo Book