Brad, of The Pen Addict and JetPens, recently asked me if I would be doing a Holiday Gift Guide. I had not considered doing one, but I think it is a great idea. I've chosen a few of my favorites and several other items I desire to own, but overall I think most pen, paper, and ink fans would love to receive some of these.
Make sure to pay attention to the end of the posting, because JetPens is sending out a $10 gift card to one person's comments on this posting. I will be adding to this list over the next few days, but I wanted to get it up so people could start commenting! And,without further ado, here is the first annual Economy Pens Holiday Gift Guide!
This is the first, and only, brush pen I have used, but I think it is great fun to use. The tip is hard enough to be able to write with without too much variation, but additional pressure allows for a good amount of flex in the tip. I can easily recommend the Fudenosuke as a worthwhile addition to your next JetPens purchase.
The Kaweco Sport is not only an excellent starter fountain pen, but it is just darn good all around. You can get the Sport in a variety of colors and nib sizes, and the barrel is designed for on-the-go travel. While some people have found small converters or used this pen as an eyedropper, the pen primarily accepts short international cartridges, which I usually just refill with a syringe. I'd say this pen or a Lamy Safari are a great gift for people wanting to see what a fountain pen is all about.
Between the lead indicator, the excellent grip, the retractable sleeve, and the superior build quality, this is one of my favorite writing instruments. If I am in the mood to carry a pencil, this is my go-to choice. Highly recommended.
If I am going to be away from home for more than I few days, I want a nice selection of writing tools with me, and this is the pencil case I use. This pouch has ample storage for even the most indecisive of tastes, and you can get it in a few different colors. Nomadic also has other models of pencil cases worth checking out if you don't like the format of this one.
If you want a sharpener that has great utility and does the job well, it is hard to beat this offering from KUM. This sharpens pencils in a way that results in a longer point, which is great if you prefer a sharper point or more lead exposed, as one might desire for shading/sketching. It also includes a lead pointer for your 2 mm and 3.2 mm leads, as well as spare blades. Yes, it is just as great as it sounds.
This past summer I signed up for a Field Notes Colors subscription, which includes four shipments (postage paid) of limited edition notebooks + free goodies. These are the primary notebook I carry with me (If not Doane or the Clairefontaine Roadbooks), and it is great to get packages of unique notebooks every few months. The Field Notes Colors subscriptions is only $97 right now; I paid a good bit more, so you can get this offer cheaper than ever.
If you want a variety of great fountain pen inks each month without investing in whole bottles, you might be interested in subscribing to the Goulet Pen Co. Ink Drop. $10 per month gets you five ink samples and a special member page with exclusive discounts.
I may not have tried this product, but it is absolutely on my wish list. Doane Utility Notebooks are great, but they are even better when you know they wont get overly abused. I think this may work well with Moleskine Cahiers and Field Notes, too, so if you want your notebooks to last longer and look a little bit more sophisticated, this may be a great option. I will do a review if Santa brings me one. :)
I don't own one of these, but I would like to get one, especially after reading posts about it over at Scription. I own quite a few journals, but many of them do not have covers that would last beyond a few months being brought outside or in a pocket all of the time. I've read a lot of good things about this journal, and I think most journal fans would enjoy it, too.
Ballpoint pens are not usually my favorites, but this one got me through very lengthy note taking and essay writing sessions in college. It writes a bit smoother than a regular ballpoint, and the ink is also a bit darker. The most important thing here is the grip and barrel. The barrel is larger than the average pen, so it is easier to hold for longer periods of time, and the grip has a slightly squishy, yet still fairly firm, rubber section on it, which is much comfortable than many pens, at least in my opinion. You can also get this in other barrel types, including the Dr. Grip Full Black, which is not entirely black, as The Pen Addict pointed out.
I'm a big fan of getting a good value, as evidenced by the title of the blog. Noodler's Ink is made in the U.S., and you get a bottle, filled to the brim, with vibrant ink. I've had pretty great experiences with most of the Noodler's Inks I have tried, and you can inks with wildly different properties and colors. Highly recommended.
The Goldspot Pens 2011 Pen of the Year. I reviewed this pen, and it was one of the best pens I have used, hands down. There are several barrels to choose from, as well as the standard nib sizes. You can also get incredibly smooth nibs in steel or gold. This is the priciest item on my list, but I think it is well worth the money.
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And yes, there's a giveaway, too! One winner will receive a $10 gift card to JetPens. Here are the rules:
- Leave one comment on this post between now and Thursday, December 8th, 12pm, CST.
- I will select one winner from the comments. You are limited to only one comment, and any duplicates will prohibit you from winning. I will use the Random.org to select one of the comments at random.
- The winner will be posted on Friday, December 9th. You will have one week to e-mail me with your mailing address. If the selected winner does not respond, I will select a new winner.
Good luck, and let me know if you have any questions!