Reviews
Setting up a bench for ink tests
What an ink testing bench needs: a washable surface, controlled light, spill containment and a fixed capture setup, all of which can be improvised.
Section
Reviews
Reviews
A beginner tool kit for testing fountain pen paper
Five cheap tools that turn paper opinions into measurements, plus the structured recording habit that makes a year of small tests actually worth something.
Reviews
A beginner tool kit for building a stationery collection
The short list of tools worth owning before the paper, what each one is for, and the vocabulary you need so a paper description means something in a shop.
Reviews
What to put under the page while you write
The desk surface under a sheet changes line width, pressure and dry time. What each underlay does, and how to pick one without buying anything.
Reviews
Comparing the true cost of a first pen setup
How to compare starter setups on cost per year rather than sticker price, what a warranty is actually worth, and where the money quietly leaks.
Reviews
What to compare in a first fountain pen, and how to test it
No brand ranking here. The five things that actually differ between beginner pens, and the bench tests you can run in a shop or at a kitchen table.
Reviews
How to choose fountain pen paper without buying twice
The six properties that decide whether a paper suits your pen, the shop test that reads them in a minute, and why most paper you try should be rejected.
Reviews
What fountain pen paper is made of, and why it matters
Fiber, sizing and alkaline reserve decide how paper writes and how long it lasts. What each ingredient does, and what to look for on the package.
Reviews
How to choose materials for a stationery collection
Which paper and ink properties actually decide longevity, why the lignin scare is mostly wrong, and a protocol for testing a candidate before you commit.
Reviews
How to store paper so it still writes well in five years
Curl, acidity and light are what ruin stored paper. What each one does, which damage is reversible, and a storage routine that prevents all three.
Reviews
How to store the paper and ink in a stationery collection
What actually damages stored paper and ink at home, why temperature and damp matter more than containers, and a storage routine that takes one afternoon.
Reviews
What to buy first when you are pairing notebooks and ink
A three-item starting kit, the order to buy in, and why buying a sampler of inks before you have settled one paper wastes both time and money.