Filtering by Author: Kimberly Lau

Shorthand Shop Visit

(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)

I visited a few stationery shops when I was in the SoCal area after the CA Pen Show in February. In addition to Paper Plant Co, I also went to the Shorthand shop in the Larchmont Village neighborhood (the other location is in Highland Park). Larchmont Village has several blocks of cute shops and restaurants, so this was a great location to walk around. Let’s take a look!

Shorthand Shop — *Shorthand, Larchmont Village location.*

I gasped out loud (in a good way) when I stepped inside because it is such a visually pleasing aethestic!

*I love the airy, open feeling inside the shop. There is a lot of room to browse and you never feel rushed.*

*After gasping upon entry, I looked to my right and saw this color-coordinated window display from the inside.*

*There is a wall full of greeting cards to choose from. In fact, this is only half of what’s on this wall. You can also buy the posters displayed above the cards.*

*In the corner is this awesome wooden card catalog which holds all sorts of refills - from fountain pen ink cartridges, to ballpoint and rollerball refills, to pencil leads!*

*Look at all this colorful eye candy on the walls! My inner matchy-matchy heart was bursting!*

*I bet no one likes orange either, right? Maybe one guy, but he’s a lil sus. 🙂*

Shorthand isn’t a pen store, per se, but they did have assorted pens, including fountain pens, available.

*A few more pens, as well as custom stationery and other assorted items, in the glass case at the counter.*

Since I was just at the CA Pen Show a couple days prior, I wasn’t on the hunt for anything in particular. I still enjoyed looking at the products in my favorite colors and being able to talk to the staff in a relaxed environment.

*I couldn’t resist this awesomely colorful clutch pencil from Koh-i-noor, as well as their shop postcard.*

As I mentioned above, there are two Shorthand locations: this one in Larchmont Village at 126 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004 and the other in Highland Park at 5030 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042. Both shops are open daily from 10am - 7pm. You can reach them via their online contact form. You can call the Larchmont location at 323-640-1793 or Highland Park location at 323-642-9039. Shorthand is also on Instagram as Shop Shorthand.

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Posted on April 11, 2025 by Kimberly Lau and filed under Store Visit.

LAMY Petrol 2025 vs the OG 2017, and LAMY Sepia too!

Last year, LAMY “re-released” the beloved and highly sought-after LAMY Dark Lilac ink, except folks were quick to discover that it wasn’t the same as the original. I reviewed both inks and came to the same conclusion. With this latest release of LAMY Petrol 2025, people are wondering if it will be the same as (or at least closer to) the original Petrol from 2016, or will it be different or super sheeny like LDL 24 was compared to LD OG. As with LDL 24, some of the original ink components of Petrol 2016 are no longer allowed/available.

Unlike the original LAMY Dark Lilac, where I am a hoarder, I mean, owner of several bottles, I only have one bottle and several cartridge packs of the original LAMY Petrol (which I will refer to as OG or 2017). Still, I was really curious to see how the two inks compared, so let’s dive right in!

One of the ways you can tell if you have the 2017 (top left) vs 2025 versions of LAMY Petrol is from the box. Limited Edition inks always have solid colored side (and bottom) panels. The 2017 Petrol’s box is rotated so you can also see the colored dot at the top of the box. The bottom box is the new LAMY Sepia.

*I’m surprised that the price tag on the bottom of OG (left) is still there! If you still can’t tell if you have Petrol OG or 2025, 2025’s barcode ends in 789383.*

2017 Petrol on the left and 2025 on the right. The caps are different colors with 2025 looking a touch greener. Petrol 2025 is part of the regular line, and as such, has the grey/silver sides instead of the LE colored side. They were similar enough in color so I kept them apart at all times and boxed each one immediately after use because I definitely didn’t want to get those mixed up.

Original LAMY Petrol swatch that I made in 2017 (left), same bottle swatched again this week (middle) and the new 2025 Petrol (right). The left and middle swatches of OG Petrol show a dark forest green, while 2025 Petrol has a hint of blue which you can see peeking out in some of the lighter parts of the swatch.

*Same as above but zoomed in a bit and at a different angle. There is a hint of red sheen on OG that isn’t present on 2025’s Col-O-Ring swatch.*

As usual, all swatches were done on Col-O-Ring cards using a Kakimori steel dip nib, while writing samples were done with a TWSBI Go with a Medium nib and a LAMY Vista with a steel Medium nib. The TWSBI Go is a slightly wetter writer and the LAMY is a drier writer, so these two give me a good idea of how an ink will look from different pens. The notebook used for writing samples is the Endless Recorder with 68 gsm Tomoe River paper. Dry times for the Vista are shown with “(V)” and the Go will be below that and shown with “(T)”. Dry times may be a bit slower on 52gsm TR or faster on more absorbent paper like Cosmo Air Light, Rhodia, copy paper, or with drier or finer nibs, etc.

*LAMY Petrol 2017 writing sample and dry times on TR 68.*

The color difference in the 2017 writing sample isn’t very obvious between the drier Safari nib vs the wetter Go nib. The dry times were pretty fast with both pens at under 30 seconds.

*The 2025 writing sample page looked very similar to the OG. It had a slightly longer drying time around 30-25 seconds.*

*It’s a good thing that I labeled the chromatography strips because they look almost identical! The color distribution/order/spread is very similar.*

A closer look at the base of the chromatography where there is a little more spread of the slightly darker blue in the middle of the OG chroma (left) and also less spread of the purple right above it. The bottom portion of both chroma strips have an almost peachy section above the line and first blue separation. I can’t explain what the color distribution means, just showing you how similar they are.

Writing sample on 80gsm Rhodia DotPad: this photo is as uninteresting as the real life writing sample, where the ink just looks like a very dark green-black, and zero sheen (which I didn’t expect to see anyway.)

Writing samples on 75 gsm Cosmo Air Light (top) and 52 gsm TR. CAL eats a bit of OG’s reddish sheen, but you can see it on the small swatch on 52 gsm TR. I wasn’t able to get any sheen from 2025 on either paper.

Writing samples on 52 gsm Tomoe River from a 2022 Hobonichi Weeks (old TR); the paper is a bit more cream than white. You can see a wee touch of red sheen on the bottom right of both swatches; surprisingly, there was a bit more in the 2025 swatch than 2017, but that can also be due to the amount of ink being laid down by the Kakimori dip nib.

*Writing samples on 68 gsm TR: Top line swatch is 2017, bottom line is 2025. I alternated lines in the writing sample, with 2017 as the first line.*

Slightly zoomed in and at a different angle to show the lack of sheen from both, but also how similar the colors are. The slightly thicker line is from the TWSBI Go which had 2025 and you can see it is also a slightly lighter green than OG.

Some inks that are similar to both LAMY Petrol include: Franklin-Christoph Ink ‘16, Robert Oster Shake-n-Shimmy Blue Velvet Storm (I believe there is also a non-shimmer version of this which is supposed to be a good match but alas, I don’t own it. Shocking, I know.), and Anderillium Colossal Squid Dark. Most of the other dark greens or teals are either too green or too blue.

After all is said and done, I think LAMY Petrol 2025 vs OG 2017 isn’t the same NY Times-worthy drama that LAMY Dark Lilac 2024 vs OG 2016 was. The new Petrol is very similar to the OG, not identical, but close enough that one doesn’t need to chase after the OG (unless they want to, I won’t judge). Both inks behaved similarly with average flow and nice dark green-leaning teal. The 2025 version is just a wee bit wetter, but only enough to take 5-10 seconds more to dry. Last year, I felt that LAMY shouldn’t have called their re-release Dark Lilac, especially since it was quite a bit different from the OG. While this year’s Petrol is very similar to the OG, I still think that they should have called it something else to avoid confusion. Maybe something Petrol-esque, like Benzine, or at least Petrol 2.0.

Alright, enough of Petrol, let’s get on with the bonus ink review of LAMY Sepia!

LAMY Sepia was announced and released together with LAMY Petrol 2025. If you ignore the questions about Petrol OG vs 2025, the rest of the chatter was around how cool the Sepia looked. And I want to say that it does not disappoint.

*LAMY Sepia is a new addition to the regular lineup and has the same grey/silver box as Petrol 2025. The cap matches the circle on the box top. (Sorry, I don’t have LAMY Red to compare it to.)*

*Sepia swatches show that it is brickish red/brown in color (the IRL swatch and picture on my phone doesn’t want to match my monitor, so hopefully the right color shows up for you.)*

*LAMY Sepia writing sample and dry times on TR 68.*

If I had to pick whether LAMY Sepia is brown or red, I would say brown, and then add “but a reddish brown”. After I did the swatches, I had to ink up the LAMY Studio Terracotta because it was such a good match. I would have guessed that, based on its shading with cursive, that it would dry faster than the other two Petrols, but it took about 10 seconds longer to dry. It didn’t feel dry at all when writing with either the LAMY or the TWSBI.

Chromatography on Sepia reminds me of melting Neopolitan ice cream with light milk chocolate on the bottom and strawberry on the top. Cosmetics fans might say it looks like a cool pink blush on foundation. Or I could just say it’s bright pink on a light clay brown.

Inks similar to LAMY Sepia include: Papier Plume Red Beans & Rice, Robert Oster x Vanness Pens Charred Hickory, Sailor x Tinterias Spicy Chipotle, Sheaffer Latte, Taccia Cha Brown. (The bottom 3 are a touch too dark and brown.)

Here are some inks that have “Sepia” in the name. As you can see, no one seems to agree on what color it should be. (Leonardo Sepia Brown, Diamine Sepia, LAMY Sepia, Scribo Classico Seppia, Papier Plume Sepia, Platinum Sepia Black, Kobe Ginza Gold Sepia, Maruzen Sepia.)

The new Petrol and Sepia both performed well and cleaned out easily. You can’t go wrong with either one. LAMY’s inks are a bargain at $9.60 retail for a 50ml bottle, so you can get both. And if I had to pick between these two, well, I already did, because I inked up the Terracotta Studio with Sepia right away. (Don’t worry, I’ll give Petrol 2025 some love too.)

(Disclaimer: The original bottle of LAMY Petrol from 2017, as well as the pens, notebooks, etc., were all purchased by me. The 2025 Petrol and Sepia were purchased from Pen Chalet.)

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Posted on March 28, 2025 by Kimberly Lau and filed under Lamy, Ink Reviews.

Behind the Scenes at Kenro Industries

While at the Baltimore Pen Show, I reached out to the folks at Kenro Industries to see if I could visit them since I was spending a few days in NYC afterwards. They aren’t open to the public but thankfully, they said yes to my request for a behind-the-scenes peek. You may already know that Kenro Industries is the distributor for brands such as Aurora, Otto Hutt, Sheaffer, Y-Studio, and more recently, Ferris Wheel Press. (As of last month, Montegrappa is no longer using distributors in North America.) Kenro is also the company behind the acquisition of the Esterbrook brand in 2018. I got a chance to chat with Bryan Hulser, Partner and Director of Marketing at Kenro Industries, who gave me a tour of their space and some insights into Kenro’s history and what they’re working on.

When I first asked Bryan about visiting Kenro, he told me “we’re just in an office space, you know that, right?” And yes, I did know that, but I wanted a real life look at what goes on in a typical day at Kenro, and I figured you did too, so here we go!

Justin, Kenro’s Sales & Marketing Manager, is showing us how real it is at the office! These boxes were the first thing I saw when we walked in! They are the new Cubes that are waiting to be unpacked and shipped out to retailers!

*The shipping department is one of the larger rooms in the office.*

*Before shipping, sometimes you also need to assemble the product boxes first, like the ones the Cubes are packaged in. Ask Justin how easy they are to assemble, lol.*

*Just another day for Byran Hulser, in his office with the artwork for the Esterbrook Nature blotter paper set behind him.*

Ryan Sirignano, Partner and Director of Sales, is working on upcoming product launches and making sure vendors are stocked up (thank you, Justin, for snapping a pic of Ryan cuz I forgot to do so during my visit.)

I spent most of my time talking with Bryan, but was fortunate to get a chance to chat briefly with Joel Blumberg, the founder and President of Kenro Industries. I hadn’t planned to speak with Joel so I didn’t come prepared with any questions, but it was nice to hear him talk about how he got started with pens. Prior to pens, Joel had a business wholesaling/importing manufactured leather that other companies would make products from (like for shoes, purses, etc.). A business partner asked for his help to bring Aurora Pens to the US, and the rest they say is history!

We talked a bit about how the pen market is changing, shifting from predominantly male to a more diverse audience, not just in gender but in age as well. How technology has made it so people are writing less, but despite that, people are learning about fountain pens and discovering (or re-discovering) the joys of writing by hand. We had such a lovely conversation; I bet we could have talked all day if we had the time.

*Thank you, Joel Blumberg, for allowing me to crash the office today and spend a few minutes chatting with you!*

*Just a fraction of the Ferris Wheel Press inventory (they can’t keep their products stocked fast enough!)*

*The minimalist boxes can only mean ystudio (and not the Aurora, which are known to come in massive boxes!)*

Kenro Industries has been known for many years as a distributor – which means that they get products from the partner brands, like Aurora, for example, and arrange for delivery to retailers/vendors. They also handle any warranty issues and special orders. With the revival of the Esterbrook brand in 2018, they also had to learn what it was like to be a manufacturer. Their first model was the Esterbrook Estie, paying homage to the Esterbrook nickname. They also designed and released a nib adaptor, which allows folks to use their vintage Esterbook nibs in their modern day Estie! This was a nod to the past, while still looking forward.

*I love the “box of parts” that have labels and stickers all over them. Love the Esterbrooke Estie wall art too!*

Along with being a manufacturer, Kenro is changing how they have traditionally marketed and distributed products. With Esterbrook they are engaging more with the community at large, not just the fountain pen users. For example, they have worked with local brand ambassadors to hold meetups prior to international pen shows where they haven’t had a presence before. This allows them to connect with the local community and get them excited for their products and the pen shows.

Bryan told me the story about how the collaboration between Esterbrook and The Coffee Monsterz Co happened - basically, he was introduced to Helen Wang at Yoseka’s Stationery Fest last fall and they’ve been working on this ever since! For those who are following this release, the pens and inks will be launched on April 5th at 9am PT.

*The Esterbrook Estie collab with Helen Wang of* *The Coffee Monsterz Co*!

*Look how cute everything is!! So glad I got to see this in person!*

Kenro is also doing more collaborations with pen-adjacent communities, such as watches. In addition to the collab they did with Accutron, a well-known watch brand, they’ve partnered with Frederique Constant (another watch brand) for an exclusive rollerball. They are always keeping an eye out for the next collaboration or partnership that are good fits.

*The Esterbrook x Frederique Constant Estie is a black rollerball that has a cool texture that’s based on the Frederique Constant logo. (Ignore my crappy photo which makes the pen look purple.)*

Now that we got the tour and pen chats done, let’s do some Rapid Fire Questions! (I did not ask Joel because I was nervous enough already and I didn’t want to take up more of his time 🙂):

Last item from the Kenro inventory that you just had to get for yourself:

Bryan: Ferris Wheel Press (super excited for all of it)

Ryan: Aurora Conte

Justin: Esterbrook King of Night

Planner or Journaler:

B: Planner

R: Planner “I love to-do lists” (Traveler’s)

J: Not really either…yet!

Favorite paper size?

B: A5

R: A5

J: Any

Favorite paper?

B: Any, not too picky

R: Bank paper

J: Any

Stickers or washi?

B: Stickers

R: Washi

J: Stickers, I think

Fountain Pen (FP), Rollerball (RB), Ballpoint (BP), or Pencil?

B: Rollerball - Retro 51 in particular

R: FP, followed by pencil and BP. No need for a roller.

J: FP to have, but Otto Hutt RB for regular use

Fave NY Food?

B: Pizza

R: Pizza

J: Pizza (I sense a theme here.)

*Is anyone surprised that this is what Bryan and I had for lunch? Luigi’s was SO GOOD!*

Fave pen show food?

B: Sushi

R: BBQ with Hinze Pen Co in Dallas

J: Any food that’s local to the show

Coffee or Tea?

B: Black, or with a splash of soy

R: Black

J: Tea, Black or touch of French Vanilla

Fave place to visit/travel to?

B: Montreal, but any place that’s easily walkable

R: Recently traveled to London for the first time. Loved it!

J: Haven’t traveled that much, but really enjoying traveling to pen shows!

*Thank you, Bryan, for taking the time to show me around the office and chat about Kenro Industries and Esterbrook!*

Thank you all so much for the time and hospitality! I had a great time!

(Disclaimer: Kenro Industries is not open to the public, so please don’t just pop on in!)

Posted on March 21, 2025 by Kimberly Lau and filed under Kenro Industries.

Shorthand Shop Visit

LAMY Petrol 2025 vs the OG 2017, and LAMY Sepia too!

Behind the Scenes at Kenro Industries

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