I love reading about what other pen lovers/users are using so why not do the same?
I keep swearing to “thin the herd” of inked pens, and I do have brief cleaning sessions, but then I think of another interesting pen and ink combination to try and I’m right back to where I started. I might as well face the fact that this is a losing battle, or, more accurately, a battle that I have no real interest in fighting.
The pen that I reach for more often than not is the Karas Kustoms Ultem Vertex (the first pen on the left). Absolutely LOVE IT!!!! I tried to resist ordering this because the look of the Ultem doesn’t really do that much for me, but I’m so glad I eventually caved and placed my order. A discount code made my upgrade to a medium titanium nib virtually free, which sweetened the deal. Titanium nibs are my favorite, and this one is wet, smooth, and slightly springy. Truly addictive. I have it eyedroppered with Birmingham Pen Co. Electron ink—a bright blue with some red sheen. Gorgeous combo, and a dream to use for journaling and letter writing.
The third pen from the left—a Karas Kustoms INK in tumbled aluminum with another medium titanium nib—gets heavy use as well. This one is repeatedly inked with Birmingham Pen Co. Voltaic Arc—a dark blue with high sheen. (Notice a pattern here?)
The Gravitas Skittles Skull pen is a BEAST. It is HEAVY (74 g capped, 49 g uncapped), but surprisingly usable despite the stunning heft. I have this inked with Waterman Tender Purple, currently one of my favorite purple inks. I’ve started attending “Death Café” meetings (which are much more uplifting than they sound) and this will be the perfect show-and-tell item at a future meeting. Memento Mori in a pen!
The second pen from the left—a Franklin Christoph P45 in the Kaleidoscope acrylic—is a recent addition from their last online pen show. I ordered it with a broad S.I.G nib and inked it with Iroshizuku Yama Budo—a very satisfying combination.
Other current favorites:
- Moonman C1 perpetually inked with shimmery J. Herbin Kyanite du Nepal
- Narwhal in Poseidon Blue inked with Birmingham Pen Co. Tesla Coil
- The TWSBI Draco inked with Diamine Writer’s Blood (with an amazingly smooth bold nib)
- A couple of Levenger True Writers—Kyoto inked with Papier Plume’s Café Diabolique and the Sea Glass inked with Birmingham Pen Co. Black Olive (pretty sure)
- Spoke Design Icon inked with Birmingham Pen Co. Jade Inferno
- Lamy Safari with Sailor Jentle Grenade
- Franklin-Christoph Model 31 with Waterman Tender Purple
- TWSBI Swipe with Birmingham Pen Co. Electron
These are a few of my favorite, and currently inked, things.
Write ’em dry!
From the Pen Cup 
ever since i discovered twsbi, i never went back. i like how much ink it can hold. but then again, since i’m too lazy to put the ink, i had to buy several twsbis so i can use all of my inks 🙂
Just ordered my first Kara’s titanium nib.
I love my True Writer…20 yrs now and still keeps writing. Changed the nib to a F-C #5 medium SIG — perfection.