Posts filed under Ferris Wheel Press

Ferris Wheel Press Sketchbook - A Quick Look from a Non-Artist

(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 remember the last shipment that Brad sent me with items for review and my thought was, holy cow, did he ship a brick? Apparently the answer is “yes”, because among the box of various pens and inks was this sketchbook from Ferris Wheel Press. Aside from “holy crap, this thing is big and heavy!”, my other thought was “But Brad, I don’t draw/sketch/art, what the heck am I going to do with it?” Throw ink in it, of course! Coincidentally, I recently bought three Ferris Wheel Press inks from Vanness Pens, so I thought they’d be a great set of inks to try in the notebook. So let’s see how it performs!

The Ferris Wheel Press Sketchbook, which retails for $40 USD, comes in 4 colors: Moss Park Green, Three Steamboats, Timeless Blue, and the one I’ll be reviewing today, Autumn in Auburn. It is a large sketchbook (7.75” x 10” x 1.25”) and heavy, as it contains 240 pages of 160 gsm white paper. It is acid-free (so good for attaching photos) and has an accordion pocket in the back as well as a wide grosgrain ribbon bookmark..

Ferris Wheel Press Sketchbook
Ferris Wheel Press Sketchbook
Ferris Wheel Press Sketchbook
Ferris Wheel Press Sketchbook

I wasn’t kidding when I said this is a heavy book. 2.91 lbs (or 1.166 kg) - It’ll only get heavier as you fill it up with ink, paint, etc.

Ferris Wheel Press Sketchbook

These beautifully packaged inks are going to get a test run inside!

Ferris Wheel Press came out with three inks for their Fashion District Collection earlier this spring: Bathurst Blue Denim, Queen Allium and Spadina Rose.

Bathurst Blue Denim is a lovely muted, dusty blue with subtle gold shimmer. The shimmer does show up in writing samples but it’s not overpowering, which is nice. Even with shaking the bottle vigorously, the shimmer particles settled into the bottle pretty quickly so keep that in mind and make sure you gently rock the pen back and forth periodically to distribute the shimmer. I didn’t have any problems with clogging in the ST Dupont Initial D, which has a steel medium nib. The ink has a medium to slightly dry flow, which gives it a bit of shading as well.

Ferris Wheel Press
Ferris Wheel Press

It’s a little hard to photograph but the shimmer is there.

Queen Allium is a light purple/mauve ink with gold shimmer and behaves similarly to the Bathurst Denim Blue.

Ferris Wheel Press
Ferris Wheel Press

Last but not least is Spadina Rose which is a medium reddish pink color but does not contain any shimmer. It also has medium to slightly dry flow and has some shading.

Ferris Wheel Press

All three of these inks look great and I’ve been enjoying using the Bathurst Blue Denim in the ST Dupont so far. My only gripe isn’t about the inks but the bottle design - they are so narrow but tall, that it is very easy to knock over the bottle. The designs of the bottles and boxes are stunning but not very practical.

Ferris Wheel Press

I almost knocked the bottles over several times during the swatching process.

When laying down the swatches with a paintbrush, I noticed dark “specks” forming from the paper. Most of them weren’t noticeable once it was dry but I saw more with the Spadina Rose swatch, maybe because it didn’t have any shimmer and therefore the specks were more visible.

Ferris Wheel Press

You can see some of the paper texture coming through while Bathurst Blue Denim was still wet. The dry swatch above doesn’t show much of that.

Ferris Wheel Press

Some darkers specks were still visible on the paper after Spadina Rose had dried.

Ferris Wheel Press

Some spotting on the back with the wetter portions of the swatches.

One of the features of the Sketchbook is lay-flat pages, but I didn’t get any of the pages to actually lay flat. Maybe I have a different definition, but I expected the pages to stay open without needing to be held down AND not to have the inside edges to curve.

Ferris Wheel Press

Would you consider this “lay flat”? ‘Cause I don’t.

Ferris Wheel Press

I had to hold it down and even then it wasn’t totally flat.

As I mentioned before, I’m not an artist so I don’t have a lot of other “media” to use in the sketchbook but I did try some writing samples with a Tombow dual tip marker, Sharpie, pencil, rollerball and a fountain pen with a flex nib. The paper is fairly smooth with a little bit of texture without feeling bumpy or rough, so using the different writing instruments felt fine. There was some mild spotting on the reverse side from the Sharpie and the flex nib. For the flex nib, which writes pretty wet, you can see that the spotting affects the front side too.

Ferris Wheel Press
Ferris Wheel Press

Spotting on the back with the Sharpie and flex nib media.

Ferris Wheel Press

Spotting on the front with the flex nib.

As someone who doesn’t draw or sketch, I have a difficult time imagining toting around a large, thick, 2 pound book for sketching. Ferris Wheel Press does make an A5 size with half the pages (120), so that might be a better option. It also doesn’t really lay flat, which is one of their selling points. And when you add that there is some spotting with certain media, including wet fountain pens/inks, and it’s tough for me to recommend this. But if the size/weight isn’t an issue and you plan to use other “dry” media like standard pens, pencils or maybe pastels, etc., the Ferris Wheel Press Sketchbook would make a beautiful addition to your collection.

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


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Posted on May 20, 2022 and filed under Sketchbook, Notebook Reviews, Ferris Wheel Press.

Kaweco Perkeo vs. Ferris Wheel Press Carousel - A Showdown

(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!.)

As I’ve mentioned before, I am a big fan of the Kaweco Sport (and AL Sport) and have a possibly unhealthy number of them, but I don’t own any other Kawecos, so I was excited when the Bossman sent me the Jungle GreenKaweco Perkeo for review (Perky-oh? Or Per-KAY-oh? Tomato, tomahto? Someone please find out!). I had already started using it when I watched one of his Twitch streams where he was unboxing a Ferris Wheel Press (FWP) Carousel pen in Seaside Glass that looked very similar, so I called dibs so I could review that too. And here we are, staring down at 20 paces for a little head to head review (queue the western showdown music). Who will be left standing? Let’s find out!

Packaging/Presentation

Ok, I’m not really one that cares about packaging for most pens. In fact, I’d happily pay less to get a less ostentatious, normal-sized box than one that I can use to store treasured heirlooms or a Monopoly board (yes, that’s a thing!). So it doesn’t bother me in the least that the Perkeo is “packaged” in a Kaweco-branded plastic sleeve. But if you were going to give the pen as a present, I’d have to go with the Carousel as it looks nicer in the color-coordinated box.

Round 1: Carousel

Kaweco Perkeo vs. Ferris Wheel Press Carousel

It’s a low bar to beat Kaweco’s cellophane (left), but FWP (right) really does a good job with their presentation.

Kaweco Perkeo vs. Ferris Wheel Press Carousel

I like that the back of the Carousel box has a cutout to show the pen and howthe box matches the pen too.

The Carousel has an inner box/”tray” that slides out.

What’s Included

Packaging aside, the Perkeo, like other Kawecos, includes a Kaweco blue standard international cartridge and an empty cartridge “spacer” (which can be used to refill with other bottled ink, or just kept inside the barrel with the other cartridge), but no converter. Contrast that with the Carousel which does include a standard international converter, but no cartridge. I don’t know who makes the converter but I don’t think it is one from Schmidt (who makes a lot of branded and unbranded standard international converters).

The Carousel has an inner box/”tray” that slides out.Ferris Wheel Press Carousel Converter

Carousel’s standard international converter is included with the pen.

If instant inking is a requirement (like if you’re gifting this to someone and not giving them a bottle of ink), then the Perkeo would be the better option, but I personally would rather have the converter any day over a cartridge.

Round 2: Carousel (cuz I like converters)

Feel

How does it feeeeeel? Like a rolling stone. Sorry, I just had an iMyke moment and couldn’t help myself, lol. This one is very subjective as it relates to how the pens feel when you are holding them. They are very similarly sized, though the Carousel is a bit smaller. Both are made from plastic/acrylic, so they are both lightweight. Both have faceted caps which snap on/off, which is great for quick writing.

Kaweco Perkeo vs. Ferris Wheel Press Carousel

You can see that the Perkeo (left) and Carousel (right) are similarly sized but the Perkeo is just a bit longer and girthier.

Kaweco Perkeo vs. Ferris Wheel Press Carousel

Comparison with other budget-friendly pens (L to R): TWSBI 580 ALR, Pilot Metropolitan, FWP Carousel, Platinum Plaisir, Kaweco Perkeo, Faber-Castell Grip, TWSBI Eco, Lamy AL-Star.

Kaweco Perkeo vs. Ferris Wheel Press Carousel
Kaweco Perkeo vs. Ferris Wheel Press Carousel

The barrel on the Perkeo is also faceted (I LOVE facets) and has a triangular grip reminiscent of the Lamy Safari but not nearly as drastic, while the Carousel has a faceted grip. Neither bothered me in any way or were even something I noticed (and that’s a good thing) but I use a fairly standard tripod grip when holding pens so your mileage may vary depending on how you hold your pens or if you don’t like triangular grips. Those similarities aside, the Perkeo just felt a bit more substantial. Both are “plastic pens”, yes, but there’s something about how the acrylic feels in hand that differentiate the two. The Carousel is also a slimmer pen all around, from the barrel to the cap to the grip. Perhaps it’s the slightly matte texture of the Perkeo vs the very smooth feel of the Carousel combined with its slightly lighter weight, which makes the Carousel feel just a little “cheaper” than the Perkeo to me.

Round 3: Perkeo

Nib

The nib on the Perkeo is the same as the ones in the Kaweco Sport. I tried, unsuccessfully, to pull the nib/feed from the Perkeo. Maybe it’s possible but I couldn’t do it and I didn’t want to try too hard. Mine was great out of the box, though I know that some folks have had problems with their Sport nibs, especially the fine and extra fine.. The Carousel’s nib is a similarly sized nib, and has custom engraving. It does not appear to be a Jowo, Schmidt, nor Bock nib or feed. FWP says that the Carousel’s “custom-ground steel nib is…able to produce beautifully nuanced lines with its subtle flexibility”. This was NOT my experience as the nib is very stiff and I could not get any line variation unless I used significant pressure, which I don’t recommend. Regardless, despite not being a remotely a soft or flexible nib, the Carousel wrote well out of the box.

Kaweco Perkeo vs. Ferris Wheel Press Carousel

Nibs from left to right: Jowo 5 nib unit (with Franklin-Christoph branding), Carousel, Perkeo, ystudio Schmidt nib.

Kaweco Perkeo vs. Ferris Wheel Press Carousel

Back side: as you can see, none of the feeds are the same.

I inked up both pens with Diamine Inkvent 2019 Mistletoe. The Perkeo was inked up about 3 weeks longer than the Carousel, which I think contributes to the slightly darker line. Both are medium nibs but the Perkeo is also just a wee bit broader than the Carousel.

Kaweco Perkeo vs. Ferris Wheel Press Carousel

Both wrote well out of the box with the Perkeo having slightly broader and wetter lines than the Carousel.

The Perkeo isn’t a “wet writer” per se, but it felt ever so slightly wetter than the Carousel, which didn’t feel like a dry writer either. Both have worked flawlessly even after 2 weeks of non-use.

Round 4: Tie

Nice Touches

Both caps are branded - “Kaweco” branding is subtly embossed on the cap while “Ferris Wheel Press” is debossed on one side of the cap, while the other side says “the CAROUSEL”. I like both the subtlety of the Kaweco branded cap as well as the silver debossing on the FWP.

Kaweco Perkeo vs. Ferris Wheel Press Carousel

Aside from what I’ve already mentioned in the first two rounds, the Perkeo has a groove on the grip section where the barrel screws onto it. You really only notice this during the last quarter turn, making it feel extra secure. Whether it’s really necessary or not, I’m not sure, as most pens don’t just unscrew themselves easily, but that gave it a nice feel. More of “luxury/quality” experience than I would’ve expected.

Kaweco Perkeo vs. Ferris Wheel Press Carousel

It was a nice touch to feel how securely the barrel screwed onto the grip.

The Perkeo also has the metal Kaweco finial in the cap, which just looks nicer than the Carousel.

Kaweco Perkeo vs. Ferris Wheel Press Carousel - A Showdown

End of the caps on the Carousel (left) and Perkeo (right).

The Carousel’s little dimple looks unpolished and sadly, felt cheap in comparison. It was close but it was the finial that gave the win to the Perkeo on this round.

Round 5: Perkeo

Variety

The Carousel, which was released in the fall of 2021, is available in 6 solid colors (the Tattler’s Teal and After Midnight are calling my name!). The Perkeo, which was launched in 2017, comes in 11 colors, not including the Blue Calligraphy set, and has some interesting color combos along with solid color options, too. I personally like more of the Carousel colors compared to the Perkeo’s, but since everyone’s tastes are different, having more color choices wins. But will the Carousel be released in more colors? Guess we’ll have to wait and see!

Round 6: Perkeo…for now

Price

The Kaweco Perkeo retails for $16 USD/15 EU with VAT/12.50 EU without VAT and the Ferris Wheel Press Carousel Pen retails for $28 USD/29 EU with VAT/24 EU without VAT. So both pens are budget-friendly. But the Carousel is nearly double the price, so if you’re on a really tight budget, the Perkeo’s got the upper hand.

Round 7: Perkeo

In summary, both the Kaweco Perkeo and the Ferris Wheel Press Carousel fountain pens are both solid, budget-friendly pens that come in fun color options. In the end, with a score of 5-2 and 1 tie (and yes, this western shootout appears to have turned into a boxing match), the Perkeo is the winner for me. It checks off more of what’s important to me and does so at a lower price point. There are other pens in the Carousel’s price range that I would pick instead, like any of the others in the comparison shot above, but you really can’t go wrong with either.

(Thank you to Vanness Pens and JetPens for sending the Ferris Wheel Press Carousel and Kaweco Perkeo, respectively, for review. The Diamine ink was from my own stash.)

Posted on January 28, 2022 and filed under Kaweco, Ferris Wheel Press, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.