Impure Thoughts: Pilot Vanishing Point Blue Matte

As much as I love my Stealth and Minamo Vanishing Points, and the line in general, the Matte range of pens has not really appealed. The black trim seemed to cheapen the pen to me, looking plasticky against anodised metal barrel, with the only exception to this being the Black Matte 'Stealth' model.

Today however Goulet announced a new colour in the line that immediately appealed: Navy Blue Matte. I already have a deep and abiding love for navy blue and black together, and in addition to frequently wearing these colours together (and walking around like some giant bruise) I also had a bespoke Leather Satchel Co. satchel made up in just these colours.

So here it is, possibly my next Veep, and perhaps finally a pen that I could be comfortable slipping through the pen loop of a notebook without worry of scratches and nicks. I'm thinking Sei-boku, to ink?

Photo credit: Goulet Pens

Photo credit: Goulet Pens

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First impressions: Pilot Elabo Resin SEF & J. Herbin Emerald of Chivor

I am lucky enough to have the loan of a friend's Pilot Elabo (Falcon) with soft extra-fine nib. I have wanted to try this pen for many, many months and it was in fact my first pen crush. Despite these lustings I have not yet purchased one due to vapour-locking at the decision between the resin and metal versions. Reading reviews, many commented that the metal was heavier, and I did want this pen for long writing sessions. On the upside however the metal version looks as lot classier to my mind, and can accommodate the longer Con-70 converter. 

Now that I have this pen in my hand I am struck at how small the resin body actually is, and how light! It is smaller than the Pilot 912, which itself is I would say medium size, certainly not large. The metal version is definitely the better body option for me; that nib, however, shines no matter the housing.

This pen has the soft extra-fine nib, combining the needlepoint tip of a Japanese extra-fine with the capacity to blow out to a broad line given some peer pressure. It is lovely, exceedingly fine yet smooth to write with, though I was surprised - nay, shocked - at just how little flex is to be found in that 'soft' nib. Yes, it flexes, but nothing like I'd imagined. To be fair however I have had the FA nib before this one, and my Conid titanium flexes in the slightest breeze, but this just isn't as soft as I'd expected. Which really makes it kind of perfect for my intended use! An extra-fine nib for long sessions that has a soft feel, plus the versatility of some flex for headings and random fun.

 

My first fill in this pen was a sample of J. Herbin's incredible Emerald of Chivor, a rich green-blue ink with fine gold shimmer that is a member of the 1670 Collection. I made the fill not expecting to see much light at all from such a fine nib, but was astounded to note the gold shining through even on the normal, unflexed writing - in fact, due to the relative dryness of these words compared to those laid down in flood of flex, the shimmer is even more pronounced!

The ink is smooth to write with even through such a fine nib - some props of course to the 'softness' of this nib, mind - and this is one ink trial that has absolutely convinced me to purchase the ink. I have loved the look of it since its release, but being an EF writer simply didn't expect the glow to show! I am blown away and am using it this week to write in my Midori 5-Year Journal; I use a different pen & ink combination across entire weeks to create some visible structure to the year and reduce visual messiness of a different nib & ink every day.

Egads! The paper is Rhodia lined, those are 7mm lines, and my unflexed writing is t i n y.. yet, still, SHIMMER! 

So these are my first impressions so far of both the Elabo Resin SEF and of J. Herbin's Emerald of Chivor. I'll do some Proper reviews on both later this week I think, but having just completed one of my Visconti Skeletor I'll wait until the weekend. It is exhausting to be so thorough when one would rather simply prattle on a bit! There is a lot more to talk about regarding this nib, the treatments that one can do to enhance it, and alternative flexy nib options, but I'll save those for my pen review.

Photo credits: Millyjane via Bookbinders Online

The journal shown in these shots is the Midori 5-Year Journal, available here from the wonderful folk at Bookbinders Online. There is a 3-Year version available, at the same dimensions, basically for those who wish to write a little more about each day. Being someone pessimistic about the daily excitement value of my life, plus totally won-over by the swoon-worthy brilliance of that red cover, I sprang for the 5-Year model and find that with my miniscule writing it suits me fine.

The journal is $65.00, which on a cost-per-use basis over five years (shut up yes okay I do justify everything this way, *ahem* LV workbag!) works out to just 3.365¢ per day to create memories for a lifetime. Add another $10 to your Bookbinders order, and shipping is free! I absolutely love this store by the way, but since I think that Proper reviews on the myriad fountain pen and stationery stores out there should also be a thing, I shall honour them with my first store review. 

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Best laid plans: the predicted pens of 2016

On New Years Eve 2015 I made the following prediction of my pens for 2016. It was based upon an already well-established and extensively-researched wishlist, with the idea that it should keep me on the spending straight & narrow and enable planned purchases & saving strategies. The Pilot VP Minamo was already lined up with a good price at a certain retailer of reputed notoriety, and the Franklin-Christoph waitlisted since September last year, so I really felt quite certain of what I did and did not (rash purchases doomed for resale) want in my collection.

So, listed in anticipated order (and decreasing likelihood!) of acquisition, these pens were:

1. Pilot Vanishing Point Raden Minamo.
2. Franklin-Christoph Marietta 20 in Antique Glass.
3. Pilot Custom 823s in Smoke & Clear, with FA & F nibs.
4. Visconti Homo Sapiens Maxi in Bronze.
5. Visconti Homo Sapiens Florentine Hills. 

By mere days later, this list was already hopelessly off-point. 

I have been buying & selling online in fashion goods for over a decade now, and every time holiday season rolls around I always mean to make good use of the buyer's market that always arises when sellers are desperate for cash, but everyone is spending theirs on alms for the visiting in-laws and enough alcohol to endure said visits. Buyers are watching their accounts, not auctions, and whilst the world carefully limps through from Christmas Day to payday thousands of auctions close at ridiculous lows.

Historically I too have been claimed by this exact fate, wistfully watching the epic deals pass me by whilst eating leftover twiglets and vowing that Next Year Will Be Different. This year, however.. it actually was! This year I was ready, crouched and poised to strike snipe, such that when I espied a rare and beautiful NOS Visconti Titanium Skeleton lingering forlornly on a post-Christmas classified I snagged it for a song, and thusly entered 2016 with my very first Visconti. Well okay, there was a wee fire sale of my beloved 823 FA to assist my pre-prepared fiscal preparedness, but dangit I'm still claiming that as a seasonal shopping win!

Artist's impression; mine hath not yet arrived.

So that was a lovely surprise, thought I, but the rest of my predictions will hold firm.. but then.. then a beautiful birdie swooped in and carried me away.

I've been curious about Pelikans for a long time and they obviously have a great reputation, but the plain black or striated red / green / blue colourways did little for me (even the x05 silver versions), and so I'd really not at all been tempted. My collection purchases & lustings to date have been based upon the key themes of stealthy black, demonstrator, and raw metals of aluminium, brass, titanium, annealed steel; bling is not my thing, and despite my adoration for the Pilot 823 my unease with the gold trim was what sent me seeking an alternative that lead to the Great Conid Rush of 2015.

Just a few days post V-Day (Visconti Victory Day) however I discovered the newly-released Pelikan M805 Stresemann - silvertone hardware and stealth styling, with anthracite iridescence streaking down the sides and morphing from sombre greyscale to shimmering silver with changing light. Between these ribbons one might peek a glimpse of the ink colour and volume - a stealthy, sleek, titanium-toned demonstrator-ish birdie, just perfect for me!

Now normally the next step in pen lusting is to realise the cost and shy away in terror, but a rather rare occurrence, well, occurred: the pen was far, far cheaper to purchase within Australia than to import from the US or Europe! This to me is staggering, as I have never experienced this in buying luxury imported goods, not even when our dollar was on parity with the Greenback. Not just cheaper by conversion, but even in that the whole number of Australian dollars required was far lower than that asked of US buyers. Unbelievable. Obviously, I bought it (cue another fire sale of a beautiful leather briefcase I've had laying around), and with a lot of help from a wonderful friend within trudging distance of the store in question I even managed to secure one with an EF nib! 

Whoops.

So there we go. Hello 2016, and goodbye any naive aspirations of ever predicting my fountain pen future again. I shall thusly convert my Predicted Purchase List to a General Wishlist, continue watching the market and sale threads like usual, and simply snag what may come my way. Just like usual. 

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