New pen day

19 May, 2024.

It’s “new pen day.”

The book shelves around my drawing table are overflowing. The storage closet in the studio is at capacity. And every flat surface has stacks of things teetering dangerously toward a crash.

Meanwhile, I’ve sworn off acquiring any new supplies or tools.

Really.

…okay, so I did replace a leaky fountain pen, so it’s still a zero sum game. A bright yellow Lamy Safari served my needs well for a number of years, but I’ve retired the pen now that the seals have begun to seep ink. Unscrewing the pen has become an inky nightmare on some days, and when I uncap a pen all I want to do is start to use it right that minute. I don’t want to have to clean the damn thing out just to make a few lines.

So, back to the new pen, a TWSBI Mini with a fine point. As the name implies, it’s not a big pen. It does fit my hand nicely, and it’s definitely not the weight lifting experience that my Duke Confucius is. The line quality is very consistent and it lays down ink very smoothly. That’s comforting to know: the reason I have previously avoided fine and extra fine fountain pen points is because they often “stutter,” leaving a broken line. Heavily inked lines, like those made by my Duke fude nib pen, take a while to dry. And while I love the look that yields, a ton of extra caution is always and constantly advised to avoid smearing wet ink across the page with the errant edge of my hand.

I’ve got it loaded with Platinum Carbon ink, which for me has proven to be useful on most drawing surfaces. Unlike other inks I’ve used, Platinum Carbon dries and does not re-wet if I lay down watercolor washes later – I just have to wait for the ink to dry before doing so. I prefer this ink over Noodler’s Bulletproof Black, but it hasn’t always played well with some pens. It does seem to flow well in the Mini, gliding across the page with a velvety smoothness. It’s a piston filler system, too, so a cartridge adapter isn’t required.