Kokuyo Soft Ring Notebook Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

If you get me started on the subject of notebooks, it won't be long before I start railing against ring binding. I hate it. It warps and bends! It doesn't slide into bags or lay nicely along other books! It snags on things and scratches them! It's uncomfortable to rest your hand or arm on them! If you tear a page out, it creates doom confetti that is exactly the opposite of celebratory. They're awful.

But not this one. This one? The Kokuyo Soft Ring Notebook does none of those things. The rings are smooth, solid, squishy plastic that squeeze to fit along other books. They are fully sealed so they don't snag. They spring right back into shape and are soft against your arm or hand. Do you remember jelly shoes? These rings are like jelly shoes for your notebook. The pages are perfectly perforated so that they tear out easily, but only when you want them to.

I love it when things are both simple and clever in a way that changes how I use my tools. And this totally does that. It might be witchcraft. Consider me enchanted.

And bound by all that cleverness, there is Kokuyo's incredible paper. It's smooth and sturdy, the graph is useful but unobtrusive. It takes every pen or pencil I throw at it--even where I blobbed ink on with a scratchy glass dip pen. It barely shows through and doesn't bleed at all. It shows sheen. And it even stands up to my toddler, who--true to his genetics--loves nothing more than to "cutter" with every single one of mommy's Sarasas. There are 80 sheets, making this an excellent notebook for school or work.

The cover is clear, flexible plastic with a silvery sheet behind it. The back is firm cardstock. The grid measures 5mm, and it is also available in 6mm rule and blank.

I think these are going to become a go-to for me. Having the convenience of ring binding without any of the ick is like a gift from the stationery gods.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on April 5, 2018 by Sarah Read and filed under Kokuyo, Notebook Reviews.

Diamine Earl Grey Fountain Pen Ink Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

(Update: I had no idea the Reddit community /r/fountainpens collaborated with Diamine to make this ink. How cool is that? Read more about it here.)

As we begin to leave winter behind, gray inks may not be what you’re looking for, but they definitely help the spring colors stand out. And, who doesn’t love a good cup of earl grey tea? With Earl Grey, Diamine have created a beautiful gray ink that is delightful to use, even when spring is in the air.

When I first received this ink and looked at the name, I naturally associated it with the color of tea. I was a bit surprised when I got out a sample to swap and saw a beautiful gray swim across the page. While earl grey tea is certainly brown, this ink is certainly not. Gray inks tend to fascinate me at certain times due to the number of colors hidden beneath the surface that make gray what it is. Is it on the blue side? More green or brown? Or maybe it’s an off-black? These subtle characteristics in hue grab my eye and make the color endlessly enjoyable.

Like almost every other Diamine ink I’ve used, this is a well-behaved, predictable ink that flows well, washes out easily, and has nice characteristics. As an added bonus, it also dries really quickly. In my tests with a 1.1mm stub nib, it often dries in under ten seconds, and certainly by fifteen. In the pen, the flow is smooth and well-lubricated, there are no unexpected starting problems or other oddities. It performs well, just as I’d expect from a Diamine ink.

When I look at this ink on the page, I see more of a blue or green tint in the light. Compared with Iroshizuku fuyu syogun, which is more of a purple tint, it has a warm and inviting tone that works well in business or office settings, but really shines when paired with a wide nib. It’s on the medium to dark side, but the shading adds some lighter variations that are pleasant.

What really makes this color pop for me is the wide range of shading it exhibits. This is also the same reason that I love the fuyu syogun ink so much. I really enjoy shading in gray inks, and there’s plenty of it with Earl Grey. On top of that, I’ve noticed a slight amount of sheen on top of the dried ink in certain light. It’s not a stand-out feature, but you can see it if you’re looking for it.

Overall, I’ve been really pleased with this ink. It’s a lovely color that shades nicely and behaves well in my pens. Add on the bonus of a fast dry time, and you’ve got a nearly unbeatable combination provided you enjoy the color. Diamine offer this in two sizes: 30ml or 80ml bottles for around $8 and $16, respectively. It’s a great value, and I highly recommend it if you’re interested in the color.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Posted on April 4, 2018 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Diamine, Ink Reviews.

Retro 51 Tornado Electron Ballpoint Pen Giveaway

Ok this is a cool one, and you have my organization skills, or lack thereof, to thank for it. Retro 51 released a range of slimline Tornado ballpoints last year that were really nice. The Electron ballpoint was one of them, and since it’s been a while since release, they aren’t the easiest to find. Except here, because I have one to give away.

Read the rules below and enter away!

Posted on April 3, 2018 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Giveaways, Retro 51.