Featured Story Take Note

We may not want to admit it, but the start of the new school semester will come upon us fast. Lamy pens and Letts of London notebooks want you to be prepared. For a limited time Pen Boutique is offering a fountain pen/notebook combination that will have the most dedicated scholastic note taker set and ready to go. We have four different black and red combinations to choose from. Each set comes with a medium point fountain pen and a ruled notebook.

A recent study by Princeton University concluded that you will retain information longer if you take the notes by hand. Taking notes by long-hand forces one to engage with the material a little more in order to pick out the most important and relevant information. By engaging with the content in this way your future studying should go more quickly. It was found that while taking laptop study notes many students were prone to distraction, multitasking on other sites and not being on task. All these elements led to decreased performance.

For a short time we are offering, at a reduced price, this unique combination set that will help steer you on the best path to retain, study and learn.

http://www.penboutique.com/lamy-safari-red-fountain-pen-and-noteletts-mode-black-ruled-notebook-gift-set.html
http://www.penboutique.com/lamy-safari-red-fountain-pen-and-noteletts-mode-red-ruled-notebook-gift-set.html
http://www.penboutique.com/lamy-safari-black-fountain-pen-and-noteletts-mode-red-ruled-notebook-gift-set.html
http://www.penboutique.com/lamy-safari-black-fountain-pen-and-noteletts-mode-black-ruled-notebook-gift-set.html

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Ink Trivia

You have more choices than you think. Blue writing ink is the most popular color used for pens. To simply say you want to use blue ink does not narrow it down as to your choice. As with many colors, blue ink is available in many shades such as Sapphire, Regency, Blue Velvet, Royal, Midnight, Imperial, Cobalt, Cerulean, Electric, Blue Suede and Mediterranean. Pen Boutique also carries many brands that offer blue including Waterman, Parker, Noodler’s Ink, Pilot-Namiki, Cross, Lamy, Diamine, Faber-Castell, Sheaffer, Montblanc and Sailor.

Question: What color helps you to remember?



























Answer: You are more likely to remember something if you write it down in blue ink.

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Lamy Wild Rubin (ruby) Studio Pens

Lamy Wild Rubin Studio Pens

The Lamy Wild Rubin (ruby) Studio pens have finally arrived!  The pictures I first saw of the Wild Rubin reminded me of the Lamy Royal Red color.  Boy, was I wrong.  The true color of the Wild Rubin does not come through in the pictures.  The Ruby color is shimmery and bright, not a matte color at all.
The Wild Rubin has a stainless steel barrel and polished chrome accents.  It has the iconic propeller clip.  The fountain pen and rollerball are the same style as previous colors, but the ballpoint is now tapered and has a longer front section.  The finish is smooth and lacquered, not the usual satin metal finish.
The fountain pen is available with a stainless steel nib or a 14k nib, both pens come with a converter and ink cartridge to start writing right away.  The 14k fountain pen arrives in a gift box with a bottle of blue ink.
All in all - these are beautiful pens and a great addition to any pen lovers collection.

- Joy (Pen Boutique LTD, Suite 115, Columbia, MD 21044)

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Pen Trivia - Left Handed Writers and Nibs

Bias against left-handed people is discrimination, conscious or not, against people who are left-handed dominant. Approximately 10% of the world's population is left-handed. Yet many common tools are designed solely for use by right-handed people, making them difficult, painful, or unsafe for left-handed people to use. These range from simple objects such as scissors to dangerous machinery such as power saws. Even in relatively "modern" societies, left-handed people historically have been—and in some places still are—forced from childhood to use their right hands for tasks which they would naturally perform with the left, such as eating and writing.

Left-handed people who speak Arabic, Persian, Hebrew, or any other right-to-left script do not have the same difficulties with writing. The right-to-left nature of these languages prevents left-handers from running their hand on the ink as happens with left-to-right languages. Because writing when moving one's hand away from its side of the body can cause smudging if the outward side of the hand is allowed to drag across the writing, it is considered easier to write the Latin alphabet with the right hand than with the left. Furthermore, it is considered more difficult to write legible Chinese characters the left hand than it is to write Latin letters, though difficulty is subjective and depends on the person in question.

Left-to-right alphabets can be written smudge-free and in proper "forward slant" with the left hand if the paper is turned 1/4 turn clockwise (90 degrees to the right), and the left hand is drawn toward the body on forward strokes, and left to right on upward strokes (as expressed in directionality of the text). It is also possible to do calligraphy in this posture with the left hand, but using right-handed pen nibs. Otherwise, left-handed pen nibs are required in order to get the thick-to-thin stroke shapes correct for most type faces.

Luckily Pelikan and Lamy offer left-hand fountain pen nibs for the left-handed writer.
http://www.penboutique.com/pelikan-pens.html?cat=291
http://www.penboutique.com/search?q=pelikano+480

Pen Boutique carries many of Lamy’s left handed nibs including:
http://www.penboutique.com/lamy-pens.html?cat=215&type=435
http://www.penboutique.com/search?q=lamy+logo


Question: When was the first pen nib invented?




























Answer: The first pens were reeds, bamboo, and bird feathers (quills), and quills were used extensively from the 5th through the 1st century BC, notably for the Dead Sea scrolls. By 79 AD, Romans were using metal-nib pens dipped in ink.

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Calligraphy Corner

Calligraphy is the art of lettering that has existed almost as long as the written word. Calligraphy can be practiced using almost any alphabet, and thus can be found in documents from China, Japan, medieval European monks, the United States and many other places. Teaching children calligraphy can help improve penmanship and encourage creativity and attention to detail. Activities will help students practice their calligraphy regularly. These activities don't require special calligraphy tools, although calligraphy pens with slanted tips can be used.

The French believe that giving children the ability to write will free their minds to perform creatively throughout their lives. So they teach handwriting as a subject in its own right. And they teach handwriting in a uniform way throughout primary schools, using traditional calligraphy to produce a distinctive, ornate hand.

Sheaffer and Lamy both offer options to use as introductions into the world of calligraphy.

http://www.penboutique.com/lamy-joy-calligraphy-fountain-pen-set-l15s.html
http://www.penboutique.com/lamy-joy-white-gift-set.html
http://www.penboutique.com/sheaffer-calligraphy-mini-kit.html
http://www.penboutique.com/sheaffer-calligraphy-maxi-kit.html

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My Top 10 Favorites

At Pen Boutique I have seen it all when it comes to pen. I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly, and while it is easy to pick out the rotten of the lot, it is never easy to pick out a favorite. Well, the list of good pens does run longer than the list of bad. But even if it were otherwise, the task of picking out the top 10 favorite pens would have been tough. At least it is for me, because I have always felt that my decision would hurt “the feelings” (of course, I know things don’t have emotions and NO, I am not crazy) of those which I don’t pick. So, whether it is a movie, a book, a shoe from my wardrobe or food, I can never decide my favorite. Yet, despite the agonies, just for you dear readers I have churned out a list of my top 10 favorite pens ever. So hold your breath and live this moment; I don’t do this very often.

In no particular order (for the fear of getting a stroke), here is my list of 10 favorite pens.

1. Namiki VP Carbon Fiber (M)

A fountain pen that is retractable – need I say more. And it is beautiful. Namiki Vanishing Point pen in carbon fiber finishing is a stunning example of art meeting architecture. I love the smart designing that has been put into the pen and it is a unique model that is worth investing in. And if design and structure wasn’t enough to get it scoring, the 18k gold nib fitted in the Vanishing Point is butter smooth. I have a medium nib in use and it is faultless. No wonder, it is in my list of favorite pens.

2. Visconti Demo Fountain Pen(F)

I have always had a great liking for transparent things, like the clear raincoat and umbrella. There is just something reassuring and comforting about being able to see what is going on behind the scenes. I have similar emotions for the Visconti Demonstrator. And while there are other transparent pens, what makes Visconti Demo stand out is that the clear barrel works double as an ink reservoir. A piston knob is at the end of the barrel for ink filling purpose. The pen is of a nice weight and the SmarTouch nib from Visconti gives a smooth performance on paper. It looks fantastic and writes well; what else does it take for a pen to be counted worthy for a “favorite list”.

3. Montegrappa Nero Uno Linea Rollerball Pen

Montegrappa Nero Uno Linea Rollerball pen stole my heart with its unpretentious style. While the traditional octagonal shape of the brand has been retained, it has been given a contemporary twist of conical alignment and grid patterns on the barrel and the cap. Made of deep, black resin, the pen feels great on hand, which encourages me to pick it up every time I write.

4. Waterman Carene Amber Shimmer Fountain Pen (M)

I share a fair amount of affinity for Waterman Carene Amber Shimmer fountain pen, because while it boasts a rather professional look, the lacquer work on it exudes of mischief and fun. There is something about it that is secretive and playful which is very appealing to me. I love the gold trims and the 18k gold nib which doesn’t fail when demanded of. And it has a comfortable weight when writing which is a bonus point to its already super fantastic performance.

5. Monteverde Artista Crystal Transparent Medium Demo

This just goes to show my aforementioned emotions towards transparent demo pens. And it comes in fun color options. Made of high quality acrylic resin, Monteverde Artista Crystal Transparent Medium Demo pen is light weight and writes decent with the iridium stainless steel nib. It easily fits the slot of an everyday pen and is super cool at being that.

6. Monteverde Impressa Fountain Pen (M)

I am fond of good pens, but I am fonder of good pens that come at surprisingly reasonable price. Speak of a pen that looks like $100 but costs $50 and you don’t have to look further than the Monteverde Impressa Fountain pen. With no engraving or embellishment of any kind on the entire body, the pen is the definition of “beauty in simplicity”. Coated in lacquer and highly polished, the fountain pen is presentable and writes very well too.

7. Monteverde Catalina Fountain Pen (M)

The resin body comes in three color choices and each one is reminiscent of the island the pen is named after. Just looking at the pen is enough to have you dreaming of warm, wet sand and cool, salty breeze of the sea. But what helps it make it to my favorite list is its deceptive size. The pen boasts a rich thickness but when held to write, it doesn’t have the heft you would expect. Pair this with a nice ink and you would add this to your everyday pen list.

8. Lamy AL-Star Fountain Pen (F,M,B,1.1)

Inspired by the Safari series of Lamy, the Al-Star fountain pen has inherited a lot of likeness to Safari, but has a sturdier aluminum body. It is the reason why the Al-Star is my preferred Lamy. Plus, while it is stocked with comfort, durability and rich color choices, it is not expensive. Add to that the interchangeable nib feature of Lamy and it scores another brownie point.

9. Fisher Space Pen Purple Passion Bullet Ballpoint Pen

First of all, I love the bright, succulent purple hue on the pen. It is just very attractive. Now, getting to why the Fisher Space Pen Purple Passion Bullet Ballpoint Pen is my top 10 favorite pen – it is a great pocket pen and it never fails to perform. It would top the list of an everyday pen for sure.

10. Fisher Space Infinium Titanium Nitride Ballpoint Pen

There was no way it was not going to be in this list for the simple reason that it will never run out of ink as long as I live. It seems to go on forever. And it has killer, tough looks and feels very comfortable when writing.

Let me know what would be on your “Top 10 Favorite Pens” list. Any thoughts on what should and should not have been on my list? Let me know.

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Lamy Logo

A Review of the Lamy Logo

By Wesley James Young

I know, you know, everybody knows; when you place the words cheap and reliable in a statement about fountain pens, Lamy is bound to make itself known. Countless backpacks and satchels have a Safari or an Al-Star tucked away somewhere waiting to leave their mark. But some are not pleased by the bulk or the pedantic shape of that triangular grip section. If you count yourself among that lot, you may wish to consider the Lamy Logo pens!

Appearance & Design

The Lamy Logo is available in two finishes; a brushed stainless steel and what is called a matte steel finish (personally I think shiny is a more accurate descriptor).  Like many of Lamy’s best products, the design is very clean and simple. A cylindrical tube with evenly spaces ridges at the point where the fingers should rest gives a nice marriage of form and function.  The simple curve of the spring loaded clip is a perfect complement to the rest of the design. 

Construction & Quality

The cap is a simple friction fit involving a metal clutch-ring gripping onto the black band above the nib. The cap securely posts to the back of this pen with crimps on the back end, holding the cap secure.  The threading on the section is metal, as is the threading in the barrel. This will likely last much longer than some other pens would.  Overall, a well made piece.

Nib & Performance

The nib is stainless steel and attaches to the plastic feed by friction.  The pen evenly when ink is drawn into it and writes smoothly until the last drop. The full range of nibs from Extra Fine to Broad are available, as well as 1.1, 1.5, and 1.9 mm Italic nibs. Notice how well the fine performs with Sailor Ultramarine in the picture below:

Lamy Logo 

Filling Mechanism

The pen can use either Lamy cartridges or the z26 converter(not included with this pen). Personally, I recommend using a converter since there is a cornucopia of inks you can use with this pen. But Lamy does have a series of moderate looking ink colors (Black, Blue, Blue-Black, Red, Turquoise, and Violet), if you prefer cartridges.

Cost

The brushed steel finish retails for $50 and the matte finish retails for $44, a little more money for a lot more style.

Final Remarks

If you want to step up from the Safari or Al-Star and the Studio is not to your taste, this is definitely something worth a second look.

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