An Inkophile's Blog

fountain pens, ink, paper and more

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Inks And Pens On My Desk Today

On my desk today is a simple group of fountain pens. Only three colors of ink plus black. Off-camera is a mechanical pencil but that’s a different story. Pelikan Violet and Waterman Intense Black Ink are getting the most use but Monteverde Capri Blue and Waterman Inspired Blue are called to duty when a bolder look is in order. Two of the pens are Jinhao 82 models. The others are a Pilot…

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A Few Grey Inks

A few grey inks for a grey day. The paper is from Tomoe River. Which ink do you prefer?

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Two Pens, One Ink

One ink, two pens with very different results. It’s like having two inks for the price of one. Sailor Shikiori Fuji-sugata in a Conklin Duragraph 1.1 stub and a Jinhao 10 extra fine.

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New Pen and a Matching Journal

It was a new pen day but also a new journal day. The Ice Blue Jinhao 20 with Iroshizuku Syo-ro looks perfect for the Zotia journal. Ink and pen tests for entertainment over the weekend.

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Pink Pen and Ink for Spring

Is it spring yet? A Jinhao 82 pink pen with Private Reserve Ink Shell Pink seem to think so. It’s a first time pairing that worked out well. What will make it into your spring rotation?

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April Ink and Pen Array

A variety of nibs that will complement the selection of inks for early April. Nibs do rule here. An attractive pen is a bonus but not essential. Monteverde Canyon Rust in a Platinum Music Nib Monteverde Rose Noir in a Jinhao 20 EF Private Reserve Avocado in a Hongdian 620 fude Iroshizuku Syo-ro in a Jinhao 10 EF Shikiori Fuji-sugata in a Conklin 1.1 Stub

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Burgundy Ink and a Colorful Pen

New on my desk are Monteverde Rose Noir ink and a seashell Jinhao 58. They weren’t purchased to be mates but they certainly look right together. Sometimes you just get lucky.

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A Unique Cover for a Notebook

A passport cover makes the perfect home for a small Traveler’s notebook. Search “passport holder” at Amazon for what is currently available. Prices range from $5 to $25.  

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Avocado And Teal Make A Dynamic Duo

A little color invaded the pen selection on my desk courtesy of Private Reserve Avocado in an avocado green Jinhao 82 and Iroshizuku syo-ro in a teal Hongdian N2. These pens and inks make journal writing appealing and aesthetic. Which ink duos make you want to write?

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The Inks In My Pens Today

The inks in my pens come from six different manufacturers and comprise a comfortable group for writing in my journal. Off to the side and out of view are swatches for developing a mostly pastel spring rotation though frankly I could be happy limiting my desk mates to just two of the Jinhao clickable pens given their smooth nibs and convenient form. Not all of them are great but three of the four…

[inkophile]

Jinhao 10 Writing Sample

This Jinhao 10 clickable fountain pen with its smooth fine nib is a keeper. Waterman Mysterious Blue ink is perfect for this Taja A5 lined notebook. No bleed through or show through and the letters have very clean outlines. This sample was written on the back of a full page so there’s the proof. Some users have had complaints about  hard starts and skipping but there were no skips here though…

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Jinhao Click Pens

Yes, those are fountain pens. They are click versions from Jinhao that are similar to the Pilot Vanishing Point. The nibs are surprisingly good, smooth with good flow. More about these babies in the near future.

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Sailor Shikiori Inks

Ink acquisitions from 2025 make a colorful and harmonious palette. All are from the Sailor Shikiori line. The coordination was unplanned but rather a happy accident. The pen is a Jinhao that works well with all of the colors. Could this become my spring rotation?

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Asvine C80 Nibs

Asvine C80 nib comparison on Rhodia. The writing was slow to dry which isn’t surprising given how much flow these nibs have. The smooth, steel #8 nib is large but suits the dimensions of the C80. At less than $30 USD, it is a fair price for a well-made fountain pen.

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Asvine C80 EF and Hongdian Ink in Brown

Asvine C80 extra-fine in brown with Hongdian brown ink are a good pair for narrow ruled paper. My A5 journal is working well with the large size 8 nib though there is some show-through and a few dots of bleed-through on my inexpensive paper. For journaling, it doesn’t really matter though I have seen this happen with several Hongdian inks. The C80 is quite smooth for an extra-fine though there is…

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Asvine C80 Meets Hongdian Blue Ink

Asvine C80 Green Ripple medium nib with Hongdian Peacock Blue ink. Appealing together but show-through and bleed-through limit their use. Since I seldom use the back of my paper, it isn’t a deal breaker for me.  

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Jinhao x159 as a Weekend Companion

My second Jinhao x159 writes somewhat better than the first one but could use an ink with less flow. Diamine Saddle Brown might be it’s next date if it doesn’t fill an Asvine C80 next.