FOUNTAIN PEN REVIEW: Parker Duofold Demi

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Christine (Pentulant)

I first saw this pen on the Instagram feed of my friend @mycoffeepot and knew I had to have it.

The incredible sheen and depth of color (chatoyance!), the organized geometric design of the resin, and the mini size was just too much to pass up. I hopped right over to eBay to find my own Parker Duofold (this one is the demi/mini/small version).

The arrow clip is so iconic!

The pen arrived in a luxury box and included a 6-pack of Parker mini cartridges. I quickly popped one into the pen was excited to start writing. It started out great! The nib was smooth, but not slippery. Flow was great. It was everything I expected – as indicated by the sweet heart I drew. Ha.

And then this happened . . . Yikes.

I even tried another paper brand . . .

I really thought this was heading for Major Trouble and started going through my checklist of possible issues/solutions. And that’s when I realized – in my excitement to start writing, I hadn’t cleaned the pen first and we’re supposed to always, always, always clean new pens before we use them. (Except I never do because I’m Pentulant like that.)

I gave it a good cleaning, let it (mostly) dry, and started again . . .

Nice! Let’s see what else it can do . . .

Whew! Cleaning is just what the nibmeister ordered for this pen! I’ve since written with it a bunch and haven’t seen even a hint of the problems shown above.

MyCoffeePot mentioned on Instagram and his blog that this is one of the best fine nibs he’s written with. I’m going to agree.

Some thoughts . . .

I would say that the Parker Duofold Demi is a terrific pen. It’s beautiful, writes great, is comfortable in the hand, and I love the size (thought some may find it too small).

But…and this is a Big But…the pen only uses cartridges. Proprietary cartridges. The ink isn’t bad – Parker inks are classic and known for being “well-behaved.” The issue is that the user is definitely limited in terms of ink options. Others have tried to find a converter that will work, but none have been successful. There is the option of emptying the Parker cartridge and filling with another ink using a syringe. When this blue cartridge is empty, that’s probably what I’ll be doing. Not a huge thing – not something that would make me unlove this pen – but something to be aware of.

Bottom Line: I real dig this pen despite the issue of proprietary cartridges!

So tell me….do you clean your pens before using them the first time? ..would you buy a pen that only takes proprietary cartridges?

INK SWAB: 151/365 – Rohrer & Klingner Fernambuk

Posted on May 31, 2015 by Christine (Pentulant)

I’ve not delved too deeply into Rohrer & Klingner inks, but I do like the way most of them look. Fernambuk is no exception – looks like there is a good potential for shading, too.

Have you tried this one? Are you a fan of R&K inks?

INK SWAB: 150/365 – Akkerman Pulchri Pink #20

Posted on May 30, 2015 by Christine (Pentulant)

BOOM! I’ve written with Akkerman Pulchri Pink, but haven’t gotten to the review. Will do soon! BOOM!

INK SWAB: 149/365 – Waterman Mysterious Blue

Posted on May 29, 2015 by Christine (Pentulant)

Mmm…this one isn’t for me. You?

INK SWAB: 148/365 – Stipula Sapphron

Posted on May 28, 2015 by Christine (Pentulant)

The swab of Stipula Sapphron is so pretty. So freakin’ pretty. But my review of it is so harsh.

Makes me want to try it again.

THIS OR THAT: Rollerball Edition

Posted on May 28, 2015 by Christine (Pentulant)

This or That – Rollerball Edition!

Lamy Safari or Pilot Metropolitan

I was surprised when I learned that Goulet Pens would be carrying the Lamy Safari Rollerballs. Surprised and intrigued. Then! I saw that Jet Pens started carrying the Pilot Metropolitan in a Rollerball, too. (Sometime in the last couple of days, Goulet Pens also began carrying the Pilot Metropolitan Rollerball.)

In the way-back past, I was not a fan of rollerballs. More often than not, they just didn’t write well for me. I’ve since learned there can be a couple of reasons for this: 1) rollerball inks have traditionally been liquid and these can dry out quickly, and 2) depending on the user’s grip, the angle of the pen may put the ball in such a position that it doesn’t roll smoothly across the paper.

I was definitely feeling guarded when I ordered, but let’s dive in and see how things worked out.

Both pens are attractive and look very much like their fountain pen cousins. Brian Goulet has a terrific video about the Safari Rollerball where he talks about all of the differences between it and the fountain pen. You can see that video right here.

Even the grips of each pen look familiar.

However . . . Those of you who have the Lamy Safari fountain pen(s) know that they have a unique grip section. The Lamy Rollerball has a similar (but different) grip that I am not finding 100% comfortable.

But how do they write?

Actually . . . quite well! The Metropolitan came equipped with a black refill. Pilot G-2 gel refills are available in a variety of sizes and colors.

The white Safari comes with a blue refill – all of the Lamy rollerballs come with a black refill (I don’t know why). Refills are available in standard colors – black, blue, red, and green. I checked in with Goulet Pens – these refills are also gel.

And here’s a side-by-side comparison for you . . .

So which one? This or that?

Appearance: Tie!

Writing Experience: Metropolitan.

While each writes wonderfully, the Lamy rollerball grip isn’t going to be comfortable for everyone.

Refills: Metropolitan.

Not only are the refills available in a variety of sizes (.38, .5, .7) and colors (blue, black, purple, teal, turquoise, burgundy, pink, hunter green, red, caramel, navy, orange, periwinkle, green, lime), they are available all over the place. (Though ironically, I don’t see any on the Goulet website.)

Price: Metropolitan.

The Pilot Metropolitan seems to be around $8-10 less than the Safari Rollerballs – even more if you’re digging the Al-Star Rollerballs.

Bottom Line: Easy decision for me – Pilot Metropolitan Rollerballs, for the win!

Have you tried either of these? What do you think of rollerballs in general? I’m a bit of a convert after experiencing these!

INK SWAB: 147/365 – Private Reserve DC Supershow Violet

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Christine (Pentulant)

I find it hard to argue with color as bright as DC Supershow Violet.

INK SWAB: 146/365 – Vert Empire

Posted on May 26, 2015 by Christine (Pentulant)

Vert Empire from J Herbin has mixed reviews over on Goulet Pens.

The ink looks like a grayish green here and that is definitely in line with what some of the commenters have to say about it. However, the swab that Goulet shows is more green that I’m showing. This could be a factor of different papers used and how things look when they are scanned.

INK SWAB: 145/365 – Noodler’s Year of the Golden Pig

Posted on May 25, 2015 by Christine (Pentulant)

Noodler’s Year of the Golden Pig is interesting to me.

I’ve bought the sample from Goulet Pens (from where most of my samples come) twice. The first time, the ink sat for a very long time before I got to it and it was . . . coagulated. Ew. I bought it again, opened the bottle the same day and . . . same thing.

I’m not sure what is going on, but I know this ink isn’t going into any pens I own. Do any of you have experience with Year of the Golden Pig? I’d love to hear all about it.

THIS OR THAT: Pilot Iroshizuku Blues Edition

Posted on May 24, 2015 by Christine (Pentulant)

This or that?

Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-peki or Tsuyu-kusa?

Kon-peki is on top. It’s so popular. I bought it long ago without trying the sample first. But Tsuyu-kusa? I’m not even sure how to pronounce it. I first tried it earlier this month when an Instagram friend asked how it compares to Kon-peki.

Both are really pretty and have a little shading. They write wonderfully (as do all of the Iroshizuku inks I’ve tried). Kon-peki leans toward turquoise. Tsuyu-kusa is a warmer, more rich blue color. Neither is particularly water-resistant (I let things dry for about five minutes before swabbing with a good amount of water).

Here’s a better look at them . . .

So. Which will it be for you? I’m choosing . . .

Pentulant

by Christine Darling

Author Archives: Christine (Pentulant)