2021 Chicago Pen Show Recap

(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)

Normally held during the first weekend in May, 2021’s Chicago Pen Show was rescheduled to September 30 - October 3, which was the weekend following the Dallas Pen Show. I wasn’t going to be working this time around and was looking forward to spending time with pen friends and enjoying the show as an attendee for a change.

The Chicago Pen Show isn’t actually in downtown Chicago but in a suburb called Hoffman Estates, which is 45 minutes northwest of downtown (if you’re lucky, ha!) and about 30 minutes west of the O’Hare Airport. It’s conveniently located across the street from a shopping complex with a wide variety of food options as well as a Target, Ulta, etc.

Full weekend registration costs $60 and includes an extra pass for a significant other or child, early entry Thursday through Sunday (8am vs 9am entry), the pizza party on Thursday night, and whisk(e)y tasting (21+, of course); Friday night auction, and Saturday night party. Friday’s public hours were from 12pm-5:30pm and I was surprised to see that it cost $25 for a half day. Saturday and Sunday prices felt more reasonable, at $10, for 9-5:30pm and 9-4pm access, respectively. There were also free seminars as well as paid classes/workshops.

The show had a mix of both modern and vintage offerings, though some vendor absences were noticed and missed. Franklin-Christoph and Vanness Pens were two of the larger vendors who didn’t attend the show. There were others that usually attend this show that weren’t there, such as The Nib Smith, Carolina Pen Company, Shawn Newton and others who bowed out who had planned to make this their first Chicago show. Still, there were a wide variety of things to be looked at, tried out and of course, to buy.

Ryan Krusac was one of the first people who greeted you at the atrium entrance with his beautiful display of wood and scrimshaw pens.Ryan Krusac was one of the first people who greeted you at the atrium entrance with his beautiful display of wood and scrimshaw pens.

John Phelan (right) of Lemur Ink with his Indy crew, Davy and Doug, were in the atrium with loads of inks, papers and pens.John Phelan (right) of Lemur Ink with his Indy crew, Davy and Doug, were in the atrium with loads of inks, papers and pens.

Cary Yeager from Kenro and Dan Hoizner were all smiles while helping out at Jimmy Dolive’s table full of beautiful pens including LE MontblancsCary Yeager from Kenro and Dan Hoizner were all smiles while helping out at Jimmy Dolive’s table full of beautiful pens including LE Montblancs.

The folks from the Sheaffer Pen Museum brought their Sheaffer pens and inks, of course but also these incredible vintage drawings and postcards.The folks from the Sheaffer Pen Museum brought their Sheaffer pens and inks, of course but also these incredible vintage drawings and postcards.

Handcarved pens from Brian Weaver of Ironfeather Creative.

This whole binder of vintage Esterbrooks was available for sale. No, I didn’t buy it but wow, you just don’t get to see that everyday.

Need parts to fix your vintage pen? This is a great way to find inexpensive parts for your pens. (I’m still on the hunt for black Parker 45 grip sections for my desk set, so if you happen to see two…).

Atlas Stationers had an incredible spread of pens, inks, papers, accessories and more! It was always busy so I barely managed to snag a picture of one of their ink displays!

There were lots of other fun items like inks, papers, pen wells and other desk accessories.

Rainbow Yeung from Odyssey Notebooks was at the show with their space-themed Tomoe River notebooks.

Keith of RandomThinks makes some creative 3D-printed desk accessories like these pen stands, cups and super cool pencil spiral.

Dan Keller of Good Made Better had his family in tow, along with many of his awesome penwells (if you look closely, you can see some prototype penwells on the upper left row.

They also have a new product called the Bookfellow, which functions as a paper weight for your desk, as well as a bookweight.

Relative newcomers to the ink space is Anderillium Inks and their Avian and Cephalopod (pictured) series of inks.

James and Patrick (not pictured) from Papier Plume were in attendance with their inks, wax stamps/seals and glass dip pens.

Papier Plume created this shimmery Cloud Gate ink for the Chicago Pen Show (if you missed out at the show, they are currently available on their website)

Jeffrey Coleman and Erick Gama of the Tinterías Podcast brought their Sailor exclusive inks, Spicy Chipotle and Homemade Tortilla. Jeffrey and Erick are doing a great service to the community by sharing their love of fountain pens and stationery with the Spanish speaking world. If you can understand Spanish (even if you’re still learning), go give their podcast a listen! And if you can’t, support them by getting some ink - they’re beautiful!

There were two ink testing stations, each inked up with 100 different inks!

My modest Chicago Pen Show haul included two Chicago Pen Show inks, the two Tinterías x Sailor inks and a Parker 2 ½ Lucky Curve with gorgeous flex from Myk Daigle of Mad Mercantile. And not pictured is a Leonardo with a steel flex nib from Les of StyloSuite which will be sent to me as soon as he’s finished the nib.

Like other shows this year, the Chicago show was smaller than in past years. Fewer vendors and fewer attendees - all understandable given the pandemic. There was supposed to be a mask mandate but I didn’t see anyone enforcing it. Mask adherence during the show was 75% at best. It was even worse amongst the hotel staff, with maybe half of the hotel staff being masked. After hours, I think that dropped even more, but likely because people were eating/drinking and hanging out with people they knew. I know I did the same amongst my friends. In retrospect, I should have kept my mask on regardless of who I was hanging out with. The reality right now is that Covid isn’t discriminating between vaccinated or not and we all need to do our part to stay safe. Get vaccinated, wear your masks (even when hanging out with vaccinated friends) and if you’re going to shows or other gatherings (whether or not you’re traveling like me), go get tested afterwards. We all need to stay healthy and safe so we can keep having pen shows and connecting with pen friends. I’m hoping the Covid situation improves so I can see you at future pen shows, including the next Chicago Pen Show on April 28-May 1, 2022. Until then, stay safe, be well and enjoy your pens!

Gravitas Laser Etched Ballpoint Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

I'm not sure I've ever owned a pen that has intricate laser etching along the body, but there's a first time for everything. I'm no stranger to the Gravitas brand from Ben Walsh, but I hadn't given one of the custom laser etched pens a try before now.

A few months back, Ben teased a photo of a new pen design that featured some very fine etching work. The pen isn't available on the online shop, and I'm not sure if will eventually end up there or if this is just a one-off custom run. Either way, this pen took me by surprise and I have a new interest in laser etching. (Ed. note: Ben says it will be available once he can catch up!)

Now, if you're unfamiliar with the Gravitas brand, they're a custom pen manufacturer based in Ireland. Catch episode 465 of the Pen Addict Podcast to listen to an interview with Ben Walsh where he explains the Gravitas brand. Most of the pens on the website feature a sleek and minimal design, with either subtle color schemes or bright Skittles-like rainbow colors. The Gravitas pens I've used in the past have always felt top-notch in terms of quality and materials, and this custom ballpoint is no different.

Before we talk about the real star of the show (the exterior of the pen), let's take a look at what it's packing inside. There's a Schmidt P900 M black cartridge in the pen, and it's no slouch. I love the Schmidt EasyFlow 9000 for how smooth and dark it is, but the P900 does a really good job as well. In terms of refills, you can do a lot worse — it's a great refill. But, more interestingly, it's a Parker-style shape, which means you can use a wide variety of refills in this pen. That's great news because the Parker-style refill market is large and has plenty of variety. I've kept the P900 in this pen because it writes really well and feels right in this pen.

The exterior of this pen is what really makes it special. The shape is really simple — it's a cylinder that tapers to a point at the front end where the refill extends. The back of the pen has a separate section that rotates, and this is how you extend or retract the refill, and if you apply some more pressure and keep unscrewing, it's also how you replace the refill. It's a really clean and simple aesthetic that might be a tad boring if it weren't for the etching. Oh my, that etching.

The laser etching is what makes this pen for me. I really haven't been able to put it down. I've never seen laser etching this fine (microscopic almost) before. You have to look very closely to see the pattern that the laser has made. It adds visual interest and a level of art that I really enjoy.

I have no idea how laser etching is done really, but I assume that the etching machine only operates on a 2D plane. This means that you have to manually rotate and position the pen quite a bit to etch the pattern all around the pen. Think about that for a second — the position of the pen has to be perfect for the pattern to stay aligned as it goes around the pen. It's really impressive.

Apart from looking fantastic, it's even more interesting to hold. Since the etching marks are so tiny and precise, it's a weird sensation for your fingers and palms to interpret. It's hard to explain, but it simultaneously feels smooth and grippy at the same time. Something like a smooth cylinder that actually has tiny little claws trying to hold on to your fingers (in a good way). It's such a pleasant thing to hold and handle!

Of course, this combination of smooth and grippy make it a great pen to use for writing. There's just enough tactile friction to keep the pen stable, but not too much. Metal pens always run the risk of being slippery, but this will not happen with this pen thanks to the etching texture.

I've really enjoyed my time with this pen, mostly because of how irresistible it is to hold and fidget with. I really can't stress enough how cool this pen feels in the hand because of the smooth/grippy conundrum. It's like my fingers are confused by it and want to understand what's happening by continuing to handle it. It's magical.

If you haven't given Gravitas a good look, head over there now. These are some high-quality pens and they've brought me a lot of delight. I'm not sure if this pen will be widely available, but you should check out some of the other etched options either way.

(Gravitas Pens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

---

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Uni-ball Jetstream Edge 0.38 mm Ballpoint Pen Review

I’m fond of saying that there is a pen out there for everybody. I’m also fond of saying not every pen is for everybody. The Uni-ball Jetstream Edge is firmly in the latter camp.

When you hear pen fans talk about the Jetstream, they are more than likely referring to the 0.7 mm model, and sometimes the 1.0 mm. They love the rich colors and solid lines - something standard ballpoints rarely have - plus the smooth writing experience with a refill that lasts longer that most. There is a reason it is one of my most recommended pens.

But the Edge model is a different animal. And Uni-ball is treating it as such.

In the past, Uni-ball has dropped into the 0.38 mm tip size with more standard barrel types, but it is a rare occurrence. I remember when I first got my hands on the 0.5 mm Jetstream (2008!) I raved about it, but even then I knew it was a pen not many people would enjoy. I still remember an email I got about that review, which told me in no uncertain terms how bad they thought this pen was.

The Standard barrel, my favorite basic Jetstream barrel, still has 0.38 mm and 0.5 mm options, but I don’t really see them leaning into those tip sizes - at least in this market. The Edge is their micro-tip refill vessel of choice, and I love it.

To me, Uni-ball is saying that 0.28 mm and 0.38 mm Jetstream refill are technical pens, and deserve a barrel design to relay as much to the consumer. That’s as much of the Edge story as the refill choice. This is my favorite pen barrel released in a long time, with its metal grip section, plastic upper barrel, unique clip design, and solid knock mechanism.

You know what other stationery products have similar design cues? Mechanical pencils, especially technical ones. And, the Edge has a similar price point to match.

This is a $15 Jetstream, not a $3 one. That places it firmly into the niche product market, and, I hope for my sake, that this technical, detailed writing niche takes it and runs with it.

The Edge launched four barrel colors with a 0.28 mm refill, then later added four more barrel colors for the 0.38 mm refill. The refill, while technically great, is the one flaw in this design, and maybe the one flaw in my theory why this pen exists in the first place.

The Uni-ball Jetstream Edge is designed around the refill they use for the Jetstream multi pen. It is thinner, and thus lower capacity than standard Jetstream refills, not to mention the Parker-style SXR-600 Jetstream refill. Single refill pens deserve a refill size commensurate with the pen, so this is a disappointment, especially in a $15 pen.

On the other hand, do we get the Edge if Uni-ball didn’t already have this refill design in-house? I’d argue yes. They already make 0.38 mm conical tip refills for the Sport series. I’m confident Uni could design a new needle tip for the 0.28 mm and 0.38 mm requirements for the Edge if they so desired, but they took the easy way out here.

I don’t guess I can blame them, because, in the end, I adore this pen. I just think it could be even better with a normal sized refill.

Will you adore this pen as much as I do? It’s unlikely. As I mentioned up top, this pen is not for everybody. Not by a long shot. It is a particular pen, with a particular job, and at a particular price point. But, if you are particular, like me, then you might find something interesting and unique in the Jetstream Edge.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

---

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!