Pilot Legno 89s: A Pictorial

As you can probably tell, my preferred tool for writing is a fountain pen. I collect them... sort of. I really just keep around as many as I can use, and then I try to sell off those that end up gathering dust to purchase new pens! It's a wonderfully delicious cycle.

Well, I recently made the decision to begin "trading up" my pens, getting rid of many in exchange for a few. The first pen to come to my mail box using this new strategy was a Pilot Legno 89s. The definition of legno is "with the wood." This makes perfect sense when considering how the 89s' barrel is made. The body is made from a kind of compressed wood, where thin slices of wood are pressed under high pressure and impregnated with resin. The exterior is then somehow imprinted with a remarkably authentic looking wood texture.



Released in 2007, only in Japan, the 89s commemorates the 89th anniversary of the Pilot pen company.


The pen comes with a Pilot No. 3 14 carat white gold nib. Mine is a medium, which writes like a western fine nib. Asian pen nibs tend to run more narrow than their western counterparts.


At 4.1" from end cap to nib, the 89s is made to be used while "posted," or capped. To put it in perspective, the 89s is just a hair shorter than an Esterbrook SJ, although it is reasonably, and pleasantly, heavier.


The 89s is a cartridge pen, which means exactly what it sounds like: it takes cartridge ink. But I was lucky enough to score mine with a squeeze converter. To fill, all I have to do is insert the nib into a bottle of ink and press the pressure bar a few times.


This magnificent piece of art walked into my life at a substantial discount by way of a gracious seller over at the Fountain Pen Network. It's been my frequent experience that the people selling pens in FPN's classified section are generally good folks who sell at reasonable prices, all in the name of spreading the fever. The fountain pen fever... of which I was a willing victim.


What instrument do you prefer to write your correspondence with? Do you have any dream pens or pencils (or markers, or paints, etc.)?

Montblanc Racing Green Ink Review

During my search for gorgeous green inks, I came upon a rash of impassioned recommendations in favor of Mont Blanc Racing Green. The ink is apparently slated to be discontinued, and its supporters are trying to save it. I wasn't initially impressed by the scans of the ink on Fountain Pen Network, but decided to purchase a bottle in order to see for myself. I figured that if I didn't like it, I could probably sell it to a Racing Green diehard at minimal financial loss.

The ink is a tad expensive, usually found for around $12.50 per bottle. The value is pretty good, however, in that it comes in 50 mL bottles, compared to J. Herbin bottles, which hold only 30 mL of ink.


First, I would like to mention my admiration of this bottle. The bottle, made of thick glass, has been described as shoe-shaped, with a small reservoir that allows for every last drop of ink to be used. Both solid and functional, the bottle also manages to be very attractive. It is presently the only ink bottle that I leave on my desk at work, the rest are in a drawer.


Now for the ink itself. You may click images to view full-size.


All the reviews of this ink I have seen, including this one, have failed to do complete justice to the color it puts on paper. So, I have done some close ups that I feel do a better job of capturing the shading and coloration of the ink.




I would like to note that while most people write their reviews on white copy paper, I used my everyday paper, Staples EcoPaper made of sugarcane waste, called bagasse. For other reviews of this and other inks, take a gander over at the Fountain Pen Network.

Oh, and for the record, I'm definitely going to keep this beautiful ink in my regular rotation.

UPDATE: There is word from an authoritative source that Racing Green is not on the chopping block for discontinuation.

First Letter From a New Penpal!

I find that one of the most delighting experiences is receiving the very first letter from a new penpal. Here is a very creative envelope from a new penpal of mine on the Eastern seaboard.
I believe that my penpal made the envelope out of doubled over wrapping paper, with the edges protected by folded over clear packaging tape. Given the theme of the paper, I thought that the clear tape was a brilliant artistic as well as "architectual" design element. It felt like I was opening a well worn, traveled and patched suitcase, covered in stickers from all the places it had visited.

I was more than happy to oblige the message on the flap of the envelope.

It was a very nice first letter and I've already got a few good ideas for my return letter to this new pal.

As a post script, she added this note:

As you can tell, and I will report to her, I totally dug the envelope.

Lastly, as a courtesy practiced by most fountain pen users, she left a footnote about the pen and ink combination she used to write my letter:

I really like that Galileo Manuscript Brown, offered exclusively through the Fountain Pen Network.

J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage Review

When writing letters, I almost always write with a fountain pen. Fountain pens give me versatility in both line choice and ink choice. As such, I have many pens with many different nibs, and I have many bottles of ink. The only green ink I have at the moment is Lierre Sauvage, made by J. Herbin.


I have taken images of my review via scanner and digital camera, unfortunately, neither image does full justice to Lierre Sauvage. The scan is much too blue and the photo does not capture the crispness of the line laid down by the pen and ink combination. So, to best inform you about the ink, I give you both images. Click the images to open full size in a new browser tab or window.

The scan (click to enlarge):

The photo (click to enlarge):


For more ink reviews, visit the Ink Review sub-forum at the Fountain Pen Network.