If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here!

Ian H. of PenPaperPencil.net
@ian_hedley on Twitter

Ian’s Description (Left to Right):

• Faber-Castel e-motion in Black Pearwood – Medium Nib – Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo
• TWSBI Diamond 580 – Fine Nib – Pelikan Edelstein Amber
• Sailor Reglus – Fine Nib – Iroshizuku Kiri-Same
• Levenger L-Tech Stealth – Fine Nib – Diamine Midnight
• J. Herbin Black Metal Rollerball – Diamine Ancient Copper
• Faber-Castell Ambition in Coconut Wood – EF Nib – Diamine Eau de Nil
• Platinum 3776 Sai – Fine Nib – Pelikan Edelstein Topaz
• Pilot Prera – Fine Nib - J. Herbin Vert Olive

Favorite Combo:

The e-motion and Tsuki-Yo. A beautiful pen, a beautiful ink, and they just hit it off together. I love the colour and it’s like writing with butter. Not that you’d really want to do that.

Least Favorite Combo:

The Prera with the Vert Olive. Fantastic pen, fantastic ink, but they don’t quite work together. The Vert Olive is quite a delicate ink and needs a thicker nib.

Editor’s Note:

Great Loadout Ian! I really like what you have going on here. I’ve been wanting to add a Faber-Castell to my collection ever since I saw the Ondoro in Smoked Oak – man that’s an awesome looking pen. I’ve also had the Platinum 3776 on my radar for a while, but I feel like it wouldn’t be drastically different from my Sailor Magellan. Your favorite combo sounds awesome too, I haven’t gotten a chance to try out either of those. I can definitely see why the Vert Olive needs a thicker nib, I had the same issue when using Vert Empire. Those J. Herbin greens need at least a medium nib to show off their full potential!

You can find Ian blogging over at PenPaperPencil.net or on Twitter at @ian_hedley. Thanks for sharing!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here and filling out the form!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here!

Patrick G.’s Loadout

Patrick’s Description (Left to Right):

• Lamy 2000 EF with Kon-Peki: I have been dreaming about Lamy 2000 for more than 6 months, and finally I got it in last November. Definitely loving it. Everything on this pen is just right. It is my work horse with the Kon-Peki ink.
• Pilot VP F with Apache Sunset: My second fountain pen. This is THE ONE that lead me officially into this field. It still amazes me now. Orange is my favorite color and Sunset rules them all.
• Pilot Falcon SEF with Aqua Blue: My newest purchase. Flex nib is interesting but I am still not very comfortable about it; however, the Aqua Blue works amazing with Flex nib.
• Pilot Custom Heritage 91 EF with Oxblood: WOW is the most accurate description to this pen! The super fine line still blows me away even today! The nib is really beautiful. The price point is just right. It is indeed the best value gold nib pen. I really need to thank Brad Dowdy!
• TWSBI 580 EF with Take-Sumi: the biggest pen I have ever have. The most playable pen. Looking forward to get a 1.1mm stub nib in the near future. I am always loading it up with black ink, and I am still looking for my favorite one.
• Lamy Safari EF with 54th Massachusetts: My first fountain pen (and I believe it should be everybody’s first). It is cheap, writes smoothly, but too light for me.

I am still new to fountain pen, and all of my pens are “functional”. There are still many on my waiting list. Hope to expand my arsenal in the future!

Favorite Combo:

That is a hard question! Honestly everything is my favorite. The super-fine Heritage 91 with oxblood or scabiosa ; the perfectly balanced VP with fancy orange ink; The flex Falcon with aqua blue. If I have to pick out the only one, however, I would say the Lamy 2000 with Diamine Denim. Lamy 2000 needs some nib work, but once it is done, I just cannot put it down. Looking at it, holding it, using it are just pleasures. The low-profile hooded nib also makes me more comfortable to use a fountain pen at public.

Least Favorite Combo:

If the scam Visionnaire does not count, I would say the Lamy Safari. Indeed it is a great pen, but the light weight makes me not comfortable using it. However, I will always keep one within reach, because it is just so classy!

Editor’s Note:

Patrick, thanks so much for sharing. You have a really awesome collection going! A nice selection of nibs on the finer side and some really nice pens. Diamine Oxblood is one of my favorite (if not favorite) inks ever. It’s just great. I have yet to get a higher-end, non-Vanishing Point Pilot and my collection does need one. The more of these loadouts are submitted, the more it makes me want to go out and try everything. Thanks again for your great picture and awesome descriptions!

Thanks for sharing!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here and filling out the form!

Left to Right:

• TWSBI Mini Classic – Fine Nib – Iroshizuku Fuyu-Syogun
  
• Sailor Sapporo Black/Rhodium – Medium Sailor Magellan Nib – Noodler’s Black Swan in Australian Roses
• Sailor Professional Gear Imperial Black – Fine Nib – Diamine Aqua Blue
• Kaweco Dia2 Black/Rhodium – Fine Nib – Kaweco Aubergine
• Pilot Vanishing Point in Gun Metal//Matte Black – Medium Nib – Private Reserve Ebony Blue
• Lamy 2000 – Binderized Medium Nib – Rohrer & Klingner Salix

Notes: I just did a whole bunch of pen cleaning, and this is what made the cut. The TWSBI Mini is relatively new, and I’m very impressed with the improvements they’ve made in construction and build quality. I’m really liking it so far, expect a review really soon. I decided to do some experimenting and switch the Sailor Sapporo’s EF nib with the Sailor Magellan’s Medium nib. Admittedly, I had a pen cleaning accident and dropped a metal ring from the Magellan down the sink. The nib fits great on the Sapporo, so I’ll probably be switching those back and forth as I see fit. The Imperial Black Pro Gear hasn’t been inked up in a while, so it’s nice to have it back in rotation. I think I’m going to send this one off to a nibmeister to get smoothed a bit. I’m really liking the contrast between the all black pen and the Diamine Aqua Blue. The Kaweco Dia2 is growing on me, I wasn’t a huge fan of it’s aluminum counterpart, the Allrounder. The pen looks much better in black and I really like look of the two cap rings. I loaded up the Private Reserve Ebony Blue for an ink review, and the medium nib in the Vanishing Point was a good candidate. My favorite combo here is the Lamy 2000 loaded with Salix. Great pen and great ink, I may have to add a bottle to my collection.

If you need a daily dose of fountain pen pictures, check out my Instagram.

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here and filling out the form!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here!

Randall P.’s Loadout

Randall’s Description (Left to Right):

Editor’s Note:

Randall, thank you for submitting! There’s some obvious Pilot favoritism going on here with both pens and ink – and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. They make solid writing instruments and are worthy of having more than one. Lots of fine nibs and dark blue inks – again, nothing wrong with that! You have a nice collection going and it’s cool to see how many different combos there can be of finer nibs and blue inks. To the uninitiated a blue pen is a blue pen, but your January loadout clearly shows that there’s way more to it than just that.

Thanks for sharing!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here and filling out the form!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here!

Bob of MyPenNeedsInk.com
@mypenneedsink on Instagram

Bob’s Description (Top to Bottom):

• Nussbaum Carmel - Diamine Amazing Amethyst
• Edison 76 - Noodlers Zhivago
• Bexley Corona - Noodlers Eel Blue
• Nakaya Long - Iroshziuku Asa-Gao
• Platignum Green Apple - Diamine Ancient Copper
• Kaweco Sport Push button - D2 Blue Black refill
• Mini Sharpie – Indigo black with a wet broad width felt nib

Bob’s Favorite Combo:

I am loving that Nussbaum.

Bob’s Least Favorite Combo:

The Zhivago is just a bit too plain for me when so many other colorful combinations exist!

Editor’s Note:

Thank you Bob for submitting! I can start off by saying how jealous I am of that Nakaya. I have my eye on a Piccolo or a Naka-ai though, but yours is still stunning. The Edison is also cool as well, I’ve been wanting a Menlo pump filler for a while now but that 76 is nice! You have a nice well rounded Loadout here – including your two non-fountain pens – which are always necessary. Thanks again for submitting!

You can find Bob blogging over at MyPenNeedsInk.com or on Instagram at @mypenneedsink. Thanks for sharing!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here and filling out the form!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here!

Brad Dowdy of The Pen Addict
@dowdyism on Twitter
@penaddict on Instagram

Brad’s Description (Left to Right):

Ed has been on my case for ages to submit my weekly loadout. What the heck took so long? Well, my loadout changes every week! How can I make a submission that is invalid before it posts? But things are starting to settle in with my most frequently used pens. The cream always rises to the top, and I find myself carrying certain pens more often than others, and missing them when I don’t have them loaded out. Here is a look at what I am currently carrying:

Pen/Nib: TWSBI Diamond 580 / EF Nib
Ink: Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo

One of the best bang for the buck pens on the market. I love the looks, feel, nib, filling system – pretty much everything. I also have a 1.1 stub nib that I swap out frequently for a completely different writing experience. Tsuki-yo is a new-to-me ink and I’m still trying to wrap my head around it. I’m liking it so far as long as it doesn’t lean too green.

Pen/Nib: Edison Beaumont Stealth LE / F Nib
Ink: Pelikan Blue Black

I’m not going to lie: The first time I tried a Beaumont I didn’t care for it. I thought it was too small and too light. I took a leap of faith on a trade for the Stealth model and it has turned into one of my favorites. It fits my hand just right and feels great to hold. There will be more Beaumonts in my future. I have a thing for blue black inks, with about five different ones that that could be my number one at any time. Pelikan Blue Black is one of those.

Pen/Nib: rOtring 600 Lava / M Nib
Ink: Pilot Blue Black

My weekly loadout changes so much because I am constantly acquiring or testing new pens. The rOtring 600 has been in my possession for just over a week and I think it will be taking up a permanent spot. Everything about this pen is just right, including the medium nib which I thought might be too wide. I have no plans to get it adjusted. Pilot Blue Black is one of the best all-around inks on the market. If you want to try just one this is it.

Pen/Nib: Pilot Custom Heritage 912 / PO Nib
Ink: Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-Peki

In the entirety of my collection, the 912 with the PO nib never drops out of the top three no matter how many new pens I get. The nib is super fine and super firm and is an eye-opening experience every time I break it out. I get a ton of enjoyment from this pen. If I’m not using blue black ink I lean towards bright blues (especially in XXF nibs) and Iroshizuku Kon-Peki is one of the best.

Pen/Nib: Pilot Custom Heritage 912 / SU Nib
Ink: Pelikan Edelstein Topaz

Another recent addition to my collection, I am still in the feeling out phase with the 912 stub (Sutab) nib. I bought it used and it is a little rough on the upstroke so this one will be heading out for nib smoothing as soon as I stop having fun with it. Pelikan Edelstein inks are right up there with Iroshizuku inks as some of my favorites and Topaz is near the top of the list. My photo doesn’t do this ink justice.

Favorite Combo:

Pilot Custom Heritage 912 PO nib with Kon-Peki -
With XXF nibs it is sometimes difficult to see all the ink subtleties in darker inks so I lean towards bright ones like Kon-Peki. This setup works without fail every use.

Least Favorite Combo:

Edison Beaumont Stealth with Pelikan Blue Black -
Independently these are two of my favorites but the Pelikan ink comes out darker than I like with this nib. It’s true color is a few shades lighter with more shading. I’ll probably swap out the ink soon but keep the pen in the rotation.

Editor’s Note:

Huge thanks to Brad for taking some time out of his blogging, podcasting, Nock Co.-ing, and regular life for submitting! It’s especially cool to see what Brad’s carrying on a daily basis, because one would assume that he’s constantly carrying a suitcase full of pens by looking at his blog. It’s cool to see that there are two of essentially the same pen. I’m guilty of doing this myself sometimes too. Also, it’s cool to see all of the different shades of blue. If you follow Brad on any of his social media outlets, there’s a good chance you’ve noticed that he’s a big fan of blue-blacks. Great stuff as always, and thanks again for taking the time to submit!

You can find Brad blogging over at The Pen Addict or on Instagram at @penaddict. Thanks for sharing!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here and filling out the form!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here!

Stuart H. of Informal Scribble
@q_t_scribbles on Twitter

Stuart’s Description (Top to Bottom):

•  Visconti Van Gogh ‘Room in Arles’ Fine nib loaded with Diamine OxBlood
• Pilot Vanishing Point ‘Matte Black’ Fine nib loaded with Pilot Iroshizuku Kiri-Same
• Kaweco Sports Luxe Extra-Fine nib loaded with Diamine Blaze Orange

My everyday pen is the Pilot Vanishing Point but my prized possession is the Visconti Van Gogh.  This for me is my favourite pen and has made me cross a line from being a pen fan to a pen collector. I could see me trying to collect more Visconti’s this year and in fact I ordered a Visconti Rembrandt today.  The Kaweco is the most recent addition to my collection and the Sports Luxe model is one I hadn’t come across before. Another pattern you might notice is that I enjoy using fine to extra fine nibs.  They suit my everyday purposes. These three pens I would recommend in a heart beat.

Editor’s Note:

Thank you for sharing your Loadout Stuart! That Visconti is definitely something to be proud of. I handled a Homo Sapiens Bronze Age back at a pen show last year and it was awesome. I’ve never written with one though. I love my Vanishing Point, when I saw the matte black, I knew I had to have it. I have a bunch of Kaweco pens, but not the Sport Luxe. I really like the built in clip, as the one they sell that you can attach on isn’t very functional. Oxblood is one of my favorite inks too! I went with Fuyu-Syogun instead of Kiri-Same, but they’re both great grey inks from Iroshizuku. Thanks again for submitting!

You can find Stuart blogging over at Informal Scribble or on Twitter at @q_t_scribbles. Thanks for sharing!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here and filling out the form!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here!

Nicholas G.’s Loadout

Nicholas’ Description (Left to Right):

• Pilot Kakuno – fine nib – Pilot cartridge: Fun pen (even has a smiley face on the nib)
• Omas Bologna – fine nib – Converter filled with Toucan Bright Blue (an Australian ink company): Nice combination!
• Columbus Extra 132 Green Arco lever filler – fine nib (152) – filled with Private Reserve Avacado
• Campo Marzio – USB pen – filled with Pelikan black cartridge. Fun pen!

Favorite Combo:

Omas and Toucan – if blue is your thing then this one gave off everything but the blues!

Least Favorite Combo:

Visconti Salvador Dali – brown and gold. A lot of bling, not much sing (since sold).

Editor’s Note:

Thank you for sharing, all the way from Australia! I’d like to add that you have a great Instagram page as well. That Omas is quite the looker. The swirl on that thing is amazing! I definitely need to look into that ink company, even if it isn’t available here in the states. I’ve never heard of the Campo Marzio either, going to have to do some homework in the near future. Great stuff!

 You can find Nicholas on Instagram at @youstruckgold. Thanks for sharing!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here and filling out the form!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here!

Thomas G.’s Loadout
trgartin.com

Thomas’s Description (Left to Right):

• Moleskine pocket notebook
• TWSBI Precision retractable tip mechanical pencil
• Caran d’Ache 849 ballpoint
• Lamy 2000 fountain pen
• TWSBI Mini Classic
• Kaweco Classic Sport

Favorite Combo:

I like using Diamine Midnight and Diamine Ancient Copper in my FPs. The BP and pencil are great for other uses.

Least Favorite Combo:

I’m not happy with how the cover on the Moleskine is peeling, but the paper is decent.

Editor’s Note:

Thomas, nice simple loadout here! You have all of your bases covered with a pen, pencil, ballpoint, and some nice fountain pens. I love my Lamy 2000, I think it would be my “desert island” pen – if I could only take one with me, that would be it. I would recommend checking out some Doane Paper Utility Notebooks – they’re great with all kinds of pens and they’re definitely durable. Maybe even some sort of leather cover if you’re happy with the Moleskine? Bonus points for the red coffee mug – I have one just like it! Great stuff, thanks for submitting!

Thanks for sharing!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here and filling out the form!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here!

Aaron C.’s Loadout
http://hydrolynx.blogspot.com/

Aaron’s Description:

I thought I’d submit something that seems a bit different from your usual fare. I love pens of all sorts and am a fiend for good paper. I often find myself on job-sites where a fountain pen doesn’t belong.

In those situations I still need a good set of writing instruments. I’ve designed my own utility belt (prototype shown here) and I pack what I need on the job site which includes a fine point sharpie (writes on most things) and a set of capture cards from frictionless.

I usually keep a Pilot Coleto in the belt (blue, green, orange, brown and black) but they break easy at the job site. In the tool back I try to keep a Staedtler Triliner business set which is a fantastic way took keep a good set of EDC pens safe and secure. I always try to have a ball point around just in case someone needs to borrow one.

I realize this isn’t very fancy but it’s taken me some time to find such affordable, easy to carry pens for the job site as the Coleto and Staedtler pens. When I’m working, it’s all about utility.

Favorite Combo:

When I’m designing, I find that I love having multiple colors available. I’ve carefully chosen the colors in my Coleto based on how I like to design. New utility belts look much better when features are highlighted with different colors.

Least Favorite Combo:

I found out a wood barrel pen dried out this week and cracked. I was very disappointed. It was a unique pen made from Lignum-Vitae wood.

Editor’s Note:

Aaron, huge thanks for sharing this totally functional loadout. It may not always make sense to have fountain pens around, but this is an awesome look of how you use writing instruments as tools. That utility belt looks awesome, and the holster looks even better. It’s great to see that you’ve found some real workhorse pens that get you through the work day, do their job, and you won’t be too upset if they break or get lost. Awesome loadout, great pictures, and thank you for sharing this unique carry!

Thanks for sharing!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here and filling out the form!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here!

Jared R.’s Loadout
PenEnvy.net

Jared’s Description:

Lamy Safari – F - A Hanukkah present from my in-laws. Love. Love. Love. Smooth as silk and I won’t need to be institutionalized if I loose it. I use it for everything.

Pigma Micron – 08 - Began my love affair with these when my wife and I were looking for archival pens/inks with which to sign our Ketubah (Jewish wedding agreement: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketubah). Well suited for brainstorming on legal pads.

White Label Retro 51 or Knock off? - While I have a visceral aversion to all things ballpoint, this pen just feels darn good in my hand. Planning on getting some R51 refills to see if I can swap it in to my regular rotation. I got it from a Nikon Rep when I ran the digital photography department at Adorama’s rental shop.

Uni-ball Signo DX – .38 - Gift from my brother. These were the love I left for the majesty of the fountain pen. I still roll it around every once in a while, for old times sake.

Lanbitou 8012 – F - Peter, my friend and blogmate, lent me one of his and it was love at first write. It may be a cheap Chinese pen with very little hope of living a long life, but it writes like a dream and it’s mine, all mine.

Pilot Vanishing Point – EF - Peter and his wife, Cat gave this to me as a wedding gift. If I lost it I might have to be institutionalized. My first fountain pen. It doesn’t see a lot of action but I’m hoping my neurotic fear of damaging and or loosing it will soon wane enough for me to put it through its paces.

Baoer 519 – M - Very pretty and incredibly frustrating. I don’t know if I got a defective nib but this thing skips like that’s its job. All in all, it was six bucks. So I’d complain but who’d listen?

Kaweco Classic Sport – EF - My wife consulted with Peter and gave this to me for Christmas. I was surprised by how much smaller it is than I expected it to be. But still, it’s a great pocket carry. And that Kaweco Sepia Brown ink is the bees knees.

Editor’s Note:

Jared, thanks for the submission! I really appreciate all of your descriptions and stories behind each pen. It definitely adds a level of personality and meaning to your collection and it’s awesome for everyone to be able to see. You have a pen for everything here, which is very important. All fountain pens are great, but if you need something archival, or have to sign a receipt, they may not always be up to the challenge. On top of that, it’s a really cool picture!

You can find Jared blogging over at PenEnvy.net – make sure to check them out!

Thanks for sharing!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here and filling out the form!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here!

Todd P.’s Loadout

Todd’s Description:

• Pilot Custom 74 EF – Private Reserve Plum
• Pilot 51 – Noodler’s Blue
• Sailor (F)  Professional Gear Slim – Private Reserve Electric DC Blue
• Pilot Vanishing Point EF – Noodler’s Black
• TWSBI 580 1.5 stub – Iroshizuku shin-kai

Favorite Combo:

I really love the Sailor with the PR Electric DC blue.

Least Favorite Combo:

The Noodler’s Blue doesn’t seem to flow really well on the Parker 51, but with a more vintage pen I would sort of expect that.

Editor’s Note:

Oh. Man. That is one of the best looking, thrashed Pilot VPs I have ever seen. I should really start carrying mine more so it will look like that. Everyone do yourselves a favor, and click on the picture to make it larger and check out that awesome wear. Great looking loadout, and thanks for submitting!

Thanks for sharing!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here and filling out the form!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here!

Ryan H.’s Loadout

Ryan’s Description:

Lamy 2000 – F nib – Rohrer & Klingner Scabiosa
My favorite ink of all time in my favorite pen of all time. The newest addition to my collection, I had the opportunity to finally pick up a used Lamy 2000 for a steal. Its nib is the tiniest bit dry and scratchy, so I’ll probably wind up sending it to a nibmeister at some point.

TWSBI Diamond 580 – F nib – Sailor Jentle Sky High
My second-favorite ink in my second-favorite pen. Sky High is a very wet ink with a tendency to feather on lower-quality paper, but its striking color and gorgeous – if subtle – shading more than make up for it. The only downside is that the 580 isn’t the most travel-friendly fountain pen. When the Vac-Mini finally gets released – or if I find a good deal on a used Vanishing Point – this might get swapped out down the road.

Lamy Al-Star – F nib – Rohrer & Klingner Salix
Classy and dependable, a perfect match.

Lamy Al-Star – EF nib – J. Herbin Vert Empire
If I could design any green ink imaginable, it would be Vert Empire. If I do ever get a new pen for Sky High, this will get the promotion to the 580.

Pilot Metropolitan – M nib – Organics Studio Edgar Allan Poe
EAP is a fantastic ink, but I’m not so much a fan of the Metropolitan, which has given me issues with skipping and hard starts. Finding a new pen for this ink is my biggest goal once I get some more cash in my pen fund. Maybe a black TWSBI Classic?

Lamy Safari – F nib – Noodler’s Apache Sunset
My first ever fountain pen, it currently has a scratchy nib I got with one of my Al-Stars, so it’s currently relegated to specialty/trial inks. Apache Sunset is, of course, a great ink.

Other:

• Karas Kustoms “Render K” – Uni Signo DX 0.28 mm, Brown Black
• Karas Kustoms “Retrakt” – Pilot G-2 0.38 mm, Black
• Karas Kustoms “Retrakt” – Uni Jetstream 0.7 mm, Blue
• Lamy 2000 Mechanical Pencil, 0.7 mm

Editor’s Note:

Ryan, thanks for sharing! This looks a LOT like how my collection started off. Like, exactly how. I started with a Lamy Safari in charcoal, and it just got worse from there (not that it’s a bad thing). I didn’t upgrade to the 580 (still have the 540), but I have the same fountain pens in the same colors, so nice choices! I also really like both Scabiosa, and Salix, they’re awesome inks.

Thanks for sharing!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here and filling out the form!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here!

Keegan of One Star Leather Goods
@OneStarLeather on Instagram

Keegan’s Description (Left to Right):

Here is what I currently have in the rotation. I try to keep it to 4-5
fountain pens inked at once. I am always trying different inks as that is part of the fun of fountain pens for me (thanks to Gouletpens.com for offering ink samples).

• Karas Kustoms Render K in Copper. This is one hell of a pen. The design is flawless (Dan Bishop is a genius), and while I prefer the lighter weight aluminum if I’m going to be writing for extended periods, the solid copper is so gorgeous and rugged. It has a permanent home these days clipped to the front pocket of my jeans. It is perfect for quick notes, grocery list check-offs, and if someone ever tries to jump you in an alley they will have their hands full if you’re armed with this beast. I have it loaded up with a black Otho ceramic roller ball refill, .5mm.

• Rotring 600 series fountain pen, fine nib. I’m not sure this is considered a “vintage pen” yet, but it is out of production so you’ll have to troll ebay to find one. As you’ll see as I continue with the list, I love the line variation you get with cursive italic and stub nibs. Pendleton Brown from Pendletonspens.com ground the tip for me into a stub and I couldn’t be happier with it. Pendleton is a gentleman, has great prices for custom nib work and I’ve always experienced quick turnaround times. I love this pen, it is a joy for long writing sessions. The knurled grip is perfect as is the weight (unposted, posted it is a cruel joke). Pilot Iroshizuku Ku-Jaku ink (one of my favorites).

• Lamy 2000, fine nib. This one was also stubbed by Pendleton Brown. This is an iconic design that is unchanged since the 1960s for a reason. It is perfect. The gold nib is super smooth, and the weight of the pen is perfect. Again, I prefer it unposted. I just filled it with Noodler’s Saguro Wine. Great maroon color!

• Pelikan M215, .5mm cursive italic nib custom ordered from Richard Binder at Richardspens.com. I picked up this pen used with a damaged steel nib on fountainpennetwork.com for less than $100, then splurged on a replacement nib from Binder. This is the nicest nib I own for sure. It delivers an exceptional writing experience with great flow from the nib–really awesome. The cursive italic grind is a little sharper than the stub nibs I have, so its not great for fast writing or scribbling notes. But when I sit down to write a nice letter, this is the go-to. Noodler’s Dark Matter Ink.

• Kaweco Art Sport, medium nib ground by Pendleton into a cursive italic. I just love these Kaweco Sport pens. I make custom leather sleeves for these little guys to protect them from keys and other pocket hazards. The pair makes for perfect pocket carry. Great line variation and flow from the Pendleton nib. And this “Alabaster” is my favorite of the ArtSports, I love how the white looks likes quartz. Noodler’s Nikita ink – bloody excellent!

Paper:

I get the most out of these pens and inks by using them with great paper – I love me some stark white Clairefontaine. I am currently brainstorming and outlining for a film I am writing and I’ve found the A4 size spiral bound Clairefontaine notebooks to be a great size for free form writing. For brainstorming I prefer the pace of handwriting to typing (not to mention my dislike for staring at a screen) and I’ve noticed my cursive handwriting has improved markedly in the couple months I’ve been focusing on it while working – an added bonus. For back pocket carry (always in one of my leather covers) I use the 3.5×5.5″ Life Unplugged notebooks from Clairefontaine (no offense to Field Notes, but they can’t hack it with fountain pens – great for grocery lists though!).

Editor’s Note:

First thing’s first, I think I need that table/cutting board/whatever that background is. It really shows off the pens nicely. I really like that you keep it down to a few pens, but each one is special. The Karas Render K is great for when a fountain pen just can’t do the job. They’re all classic looking pens, nothing too trendy, and you could definitely continue to carry these 5 for decades without ever needing any more. Richard Binder does some great work, I’m sure the nib on that Pelikan is out of control. Great pictures, and great pens, thanks Keegan!

You can find Keegan’s awesomely made leather goods over at OneStarLeatherGoods.com or on Instagram at @OneStarLeather. I’ve reviewed his pen sleeves, and they are top-notch! Thanks for sharing!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here and filling out the form!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here!

Mike M.’s Loadout
Inkdependence.com

Mike’s Description (Top to Bottom):

• The Lamy had this Omas ink in it, but I didn’t care for it, and it’s already been switched to Diamine Merlot. (Which I also don’t really care for.)
• The VFM is new to me. I’ve gotten them as starter-pens for some people, but I never had my own. AndersonPens had free shipping for a while, so I got one. I wasn’t sure if I was going to give it away or keep it, so it stayed in the box until I gave in and started using it. That Ebony Brown ink is good stuff.
• The Artista with Cacao du Bresil is fantastic. My wife got both for me for xmas, and this is a great combo.
• Everyone knows about the Metropolitan, but the  Mont Blanc Balzac is pretty awesome. It’s super-bright.
• The Franklin-Christoph is filled with one of the best greens that I’ve ever used. It was my xmas card ink, and I just keep using it. I might buy a full bottle of this stuff.

Favorite Combo:

The Artista with the J. Herbin ink is the favorite right now, but that might just be due to it being the newest of the bunch.

Least Favorite Combo:

The Omas ink is weak sauce. I know the pen is a good one, but that ink is seriously lacking.

Editor’s Note:

Nice vibrant loadout! I really need to get my hands on a Lamy Nexx, perhaps in my next order. I just got rid of my FC27, it just wasn’t doing it for me, but that blue with the silver cap looks awesome. Thanks for submitting your loadout!

Thanks for sharing!

You can find Mike blogging over at Inkdependence.com!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here and filling out the form!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here!

J. Robert Lennon’s Loadout
http://www.jrobertlennon.com

JRL’s Description:

Favorite Combo:

Definitely the Heritage with Oxblood. It feels great, it’s cool-looking, and the nib hasn’t let me down yet. I wish more pens were manufactured with FM nibs—it’s just about perfect for me.

Editor’s Note:

Great picture, thanks for the submission! Even though I’m not a big fan of the paper in the Cold Horizon edition, it looks awesome with that Pilot Prera, and it picks up on the blue in the mug in the top left of the photo. I have yet to try an F-M (although the Sailor Clear Candy I have is an M-F – I wonder if they’re the same?) but it sounds intriguing.

Thanks for sharing!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here and filling out the form!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here!

Hans N.’s Loadout

Hans’ Description (Left to Right):

• Lamy 2000 (F) filled with Iroshizuku Take-Sumi
• Platinum Preppy (F) filled with J. Herbin Rouge Hematite
• Lamy Vista (1.1 nib) filled with Noodler’s Red Black
• Pilot Custom Heritage 92 (F) filled with Iroshizuku Kon-Peki
• Pentel Kerry pencil red-white-blue edition (0.5 lead)
• Platinum Preppy highlighter (yellow)
• Montblanc Meisterstuck ballpoint (F) black refill
• Palomino Blackwing 602 pencil

Accessories:

• Tombow Mono Zero eraser (the rectangular shaped one)
• Tombow Mono One eraser
• Nomadic PE-06 case in yellow/orange
• Homemade/prototype copper pencil case for the Palomino

I pretty much stick you fountain pens whenever I can, using the ballpoint only when it seems I have to.  I use the Kerry when drawing-up plans (and I know there will be a lot of erasing), and the Palomino is my go-to tool for crossword puzzles.

Favorite Combo:

I always carry a Preppy loaded with Rouge Hematite – that would be my favorite combo.

Least Favorite Combo:

This is my first time using Take-Sumi – it seems fine but I’m not a big fan of black inks.  It works well with the 2000 though and I don’t like to put anything in that pen unless it will be easy to clean.

Editor’s Note:

Nice Loadout you have here! You have everything covered, from different nib sizes to ballpoints. It’s important because fountain pens can’t always do the job. Thank you for submitting!

Thanks for sharing!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here and filling out the form!

Left to Right:

• Karas Kustoms INK Prototype – Medium Nib – Noodler’s Bad Blue Heron
  
• Lamy Vista – 1.5mm Stub – Pelikan Highlighter Green
• Nakaya Neo Standard in Kuro Tamenuri – Soft Medium Nib – Diamine Eau de Nil
• Pilot Custom 823 – 0.7mm Architect Point by Richard Binder – Sheaffer Peacock Blue
• Lamy 2000 – Binderized Medium Nib – Sailor Jentle Epinard
• Sailor Professional Gear Imperial Black – Fine Nib – Noodler’s 54th Massachusetts (unshaken bottle, more on that below)

Notes: I’ve been finding myself carrying less and less fountain pens lately. Like last time I posted my own loadout, I think there are clear favorites emerging. I’m actually really happy with everything here. The Karas Kustoms Ink is a total beast, that writes so smooth. It’s loaded with one of my favorite dark blue inks, Noodler’s Bad Blue Heron. I don’t carry this pen in a case because, well, it’s not necessary. I ordered a sample of Pelikan Highlighter Green and it immediately went into the Lamy Vista. They just look so awesome together. The 1.5mm stub makes it easier to highlight things, instead of doing a bunch more passes with a broad nib.

The Nakaya Neo Standard has been awesome. I’ll be posting a review of it very, very soon. I just swapped the ink from Kon-Peki to Diamine Eau de Nil and it both writes and shades wonderfully. The next pen in line is my newest acquisition, the Pilot Custom 823 vacuum filler with a custom ground 0.7mm Hebrew/Arabic/Architect italic nib. It’s super awesome, you can hear me blabbing on and on about it on the Pen Addict podcast.

I always have my trusty Lamy 2000 inked up, this time with Sailor Jentle Epinard. It’s an awesome dark green with some nice shading and a subtle golden sheen. The combo is awesome. Last, but not least in the line is the Sailor Professional Gear Imperial Black which I recently had adjusted by Richard Binder at the Long Island pen show. I filled the pen up with Noodler’s 54th Massachusetts, but I didn’t shake the bottle first. What filled the pen is this weird, light blue, super liquidy fluid that doesn’t write well. It’s going to get cleaned out ASAP. I know there are mixed opinions on shaking ink bottles before filling, but I think this is a clear cut case of why it can be absolutely necessary.

Three of the pens are kept safe in my Nock Co. Lookout prototype, which I’ve been using every day since Brad and Jeffrey sent me one. I’m anxiously awaiting my Kickstarter reward’s arrival, and this is doing a great job of holding me over. The Nakaya has been carried exclusively in a One Star Leather pen sleeve in forest green leather, that is super soft and gentle to the finish on the inside. It’s an awesomely constructed case that’s doing its job quite well. Admittedly, there’s a Tactile Turn Shaker on the list up there, but I forgot to take it out of my pocket for the pictures. This is kind of a good thing though. The pen is small enough to go unnoticed in my pocket, and I literally forget about it until I need it. It has a Fisher Space Pen refill in it, which can pretty much handle any writing task at hand.

I’ve also been carrying a Paperscreen “Five” notebook in my pocket everyday for writing down odds and ends. It’s the same size as my iPhone, and they’re often in the same pocket. You can check out my full review here. I keep a Field Notes for a daily journal, and I opted to use another one from the Drink Local Colors edition. I’m really happy with the way everything is working out, with the exception of the Noodler’s dilemma. I think it’s going to be tough to change out the pens I’ve been carrying, as I like these so much. Thanks for reading!

Check out my submission to ILaikePens.com for last month’s loadout to see how it’s evolved!

If you need a daily dose of fountain pen pictures, check out my Instagram.

Gallery:

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here and filling out the form!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here!

Alia’s Loadout
http://musingsbyalia.com

Alia’s Description (Top to Bottom):

• Pilot Vanishing Point Raden Medium Nib, Pilot Iroshizuku yama-budo ink
• Levenger True Writer with Stub Nib, Private Reserve Electric DC Blue ink
• Waterman Paris Fine Nib, J. Herbin Rouge Hematite ink
• Pelikan M205 Duo Double Broad Nib, yellow highlighter ink
• TWSBI Diamond Mini Medium Nib, Pilot Iroshizuku kon-peki ink.

Favorite Combo:

The Vanishing Point with the yama-budo ink is my go to combo. I love the smoothness of the pen and the color of the ink pops for me.

Least Favorite Combo:

I really love the J. Herbin Rouge Hematite, but I want to get it into a pen with a fatter nib (right now I’m working on one sample, my bottle is in the mail).

Editor’s Note:

Awesome submission! I really like those raden VPs, I just don’t think it suits me so well. I also need to get some kon-peki into my TWSBI mini, it looks so nice sloshing around in there. Thanks again for submitting, great stuff!

Thanks for sharing!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here and filling out the form!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here!

Chris S.’s Loadout

Chris’s Description:

Favorite Combo:

Favourite pen is the recently restored (by Peter Crook-Carneil pens) ONOTO Minoris which is a pre-WWII plunge filler, lovely flexy nib, just wish my leftie handwriting could do it justice!

Editor’s Note:

Thanks for the new submission! You can check out his old submission here. That Onoto looks awesome, consider me jealous! One Star also makes great stuff, I’m sure you’ll have it for years to come. Thanks for sharing!

If you would like to submit your Weekly Loadout of pens, ink, and paper, please share by clicking here and filling out the form!