Swapping nibs around
I crafted three new pen-and-ink pairings for the week. Two large demonstrator pens will ensure longform writing and end-of-year teaching reflections (which also tend to run long for me) are comfortable affairs.
Crafting involved swapping two nibs. The first swap was easy because Pelikan’s m805 nib units are made to screw in and out. I wanted the cursive italic grind from my Stresemann Anthracite in the Souverän Demonstrator. As easy as uncapping a pen.
The second crafting was trickier. Exchanging the nibs and feeds between the Graphite Lighthouse model and Blue Moon careful attention and a gentle hand to keep from damaging the delicate plastic fins on the underside of the feed.
These fins weren’t made for walking …
Grey/Black
Sailor Pro Gear Smoothie Blue Moon (EF). Diamine Earl Grey. I swapped the EF nib into the Blue Moon to pair the purple-undertoned neutral colors matching across pen and ink (Earl Grey). My task management go-to is also the week’s daily driver: serving up meeting notes and pocket carry for the coming week. All the things.
Blue/Teal
TWSBI Vac700R Kyanite (B Selvedge, by Nib Tailor). Yoseka Ming Kong Que Blue. MKQ Blue is, by far, the brightest in color in this week’s palette. The pair is tailor made to render accent notes noticeable, and for marking student papers that require a healthy amount of teacher feedback. The bright blue should be calming, where a red ink might raise anxiety. I also aim to tap this second demonstrator for curriculum meetings, D&D notes, and lesson plan outlines. And certainly some journal shenanigans.
Visconti Homo Sapiens Blizzard (EF). Troublemaker Abalone. Abalone has grown darker, mercurial, and moody now that it has had over a week in the Visconti but continue to throw off pink tones. A joyful mellowing of this pen-and-ink pairing. The EF nib keeps tiny, detailed notes easily legible, which is especially important when marking students papers and revising my own writing drafts. Plus some journaling.
Earth Tones
Sailor King of Pen Demonstrator (B). Platinum Fuji-Unkei Aka-Fuji. This particular Sailor B nib lays ink onto the page in generous furrows, granting Aka-Fuji ample opportunity to show off red sheen as a result. The King of Pen’s wide section and clear colorway make for comfortable longform writing sessions regardless of slow or fast scribbling. Creative writing, lesson plan outlines, reading notes, and letters.
Pelikan m805 Souverän Demonstrator (F CI, by Custom Nib Studio). Diamine Ancient Copper. Ancient Copper throws off beastly (yet consistent) halos of dark brown. That shading is combined with a cursive italic grind, rendering this pairing a subtle and fun go-to. Analytic teaching reflections, targeted journaling, lesson plan outlines, and reading notes.
Wild Cards
Platinum 3776 Star Wars Kylo Ren (F). Papier Plume Bootlegger’s Sacrament. Sacrament has aged into a true near-black in the more than one week it has been paired with Kylo Ren. The Century’s section is narrow enough to accommodate fine-detailed notes. And the mostly black colorway keeps in-class notes distraction free, which helps my students stay on task rather than veer off topic via questions about a cool pen. Discussion notes, reading notes, D&D notes, and perhaps some journaling.
