Point to Paper – The Story of the Norwegian Longnosed Earmouse

Point to Paper – The Story of the Norwegian Longnosed Earmouse

Comments 0 Comment

In the past, people drew wisdom from myths and stories. It was often all they had. It was a way to create meaning in what they didn’t understand. Contrary to what we might like to believe, it is still the case that science and rationality are far from able to explain everything. We still need the stories. I have a weak spot for those who are able to tell these stories with creativity and color. There has always been a rich heritage of…

Read More Read More

Nibby Sunday – The five Norwegian pencil factories that was NOT owned by two brothers from Senja

Nibby Sunday – The five Norwegian pencil factories that was NOT owned by two brothers from Senja

Comments 0 Comment

Over the years, there have been several attempts to start up pencil production here in Norway. The most famous examples are Den Norske Blyantfabrikk and Oslo Blyantfabrikk, which I wrote a comprehensive article about in May 2022 (published in English in August 2023). In my research about the two Senja brothers who each started a pencil factory, I also found references to several other Norwegian pencil factories. In this article, I will share what I’ve been able to find about these lesser-known factories. Several…

Read More Read More

Point to paper – Pencil Problems in Parliament

Point to paper – Pencil Problems in Parliament

Comments 0 Comment

This post is about a forgotten pencil maker who contributed to unrest in the British Parliament one summer’s day in the late 1800s. You will get to know a pencil pioneer who went from running a one person craft business that developed into a successful industrial enterprise. Last but not least, you will receive a thorough introduction to how you can protect your tip. Most tips remain unprotected even in 2024. It is time that this neglected task was addressed. One would think…

Read More Read More

Nibby Sunday – Review of Jinhao Dadao 9019

Nibby Sunday – Review of Jinhao Dadao 9019

Comments 0 Comment

Last year, Jinhao launched its new pen, the Dadao 9019, and it quickly gained traction in the pen community. Many have compared it to the X159 from the same brand. It’s about the same size and both have #8 nibs, but there are also some notable differences. While the X159 is strongly inspired by the Montblanc Meisterstück 149, the Dadao 9019 rather resembles some of the high-end Namiki pens. It annoys me a bit that Jinhao has chosen a design that is so…

Read More Read More

Nibby Sunday – Goals for the Year – 2024

Nibby Sunday – Goals for the Year – 2024

Comments 0 Comment

Happy New Year to all our readers! I usually take some time during the holidays, and the first couple of weeks of the new year, to evaluate the year that has passed, and set some goals for the coming year. A lot of those goals are correlated to this blog, and my pen hobby, so I thought I would write a little about it in this first post of the year. Last summer I made a plan for all the posts…

Read More Read More

Inktrapment: Diamine Inkvent 2023 – a summary

Inktrapment: Diamine Inkvent 2023 – a summary

Comments 0 Comment

Here are all the inks from the 2023 Inkvent! In this year’s calendar, we got inks from five different series: Standard (7), Shimmer (6), Chameleon (9), and Scent (2). Additionally, a (sort of) new series was introduced – Star Bright (1) – which turned out to be a shimmer ink with an extra dose of shimmer. That is to say, this was an excellent calendar for those who appreciate shimmer inks – a total of 16 inks contained some form…

Read More Read More

Inktrapment: Diamine Inkvent 2023 no. 25

Inktrapment: Diamine Inkvent 2023 no. 25

Comments 0 Comment

The final door reveals – of course – a purple ink. Diamine doesn’t specify which ink series this belongs to, but I believe Raise a Glass is a chameleon ink. The color is a deep and saturated purple with gold-green shimmer and gold sheen. It’s a bit too dark to showcase any shading. The ink also seems very wet and dries slowly. I’m not usually one for using lofty words, but I would actually describe this ink as “royal.” The…

Read More Read More

Inktrapment: Diamine Inkvent 2023 no. 24

Inktrapment: Diamine Inkvent 2023 no. 24

Comments 0 Comment

It’s Christmas Eve and only two inks left! Today, we’re back to shimmer inks. Sugar Snap is a medium dark yellow green with silvery shimmer and significant shading. It also has a dark/black halo in wet areas. The ink flow is very wet. It’s greener than both Colorverse Walk the Dog and R&K Alt-Goldgrün, and much lighter than Colorverse Brane. Liv Mogstad Strickert is a regular contributor to Pennen er mektigere and will be posting daily ink reviews of Diamine’s…

Read More Read More

Inktrapment: Diamine Inkvent 2023 no. 23

Inktrapment: Diamine Inkvent 2023 no. 23

Comments 0 Comment

Finally, another standard ink! Fireside Snug is a dark red orange or red brown, with coppery sheen in wet areas. It has significant shading and looks very, very nice. It appears to have a moderately wet flow. As we can see, it resembles a couple of other inks I have on hand: It is darker than Diamine Autumn Oak and a bit browner than Taccia Koiame. Caramel Sparkle is probably the closest match in terms of color (excluding the shimmer),…

Read More Read More

Inktrapment: Diamine Inkvent 2023 no. 22

Inktrapment: Diamine Inkvent 2023 no. 22

Comments 0 Comment

It’s my birthday! That’s probably the reason Diamine gave us the first red ink this Inkvent. The shimmer ink Tinsel is red with red-pink shimmer. This is a truly festive ink! It has some subtle shading, a hint of green sheen in wet areas, and a moderately wet flow. I don’t have any other similar inks – compared to last year’s Spiced Apple, Tinsel is a lighter and brighter red. Liv Mogstad Strickert is a regular contributor to Pennen er…

Read More Read More