The Work/Play Limited Edition By Baron Fig (Sponsor)

We are big fans of Baron Fig notebooks around these parts, and their latest release is poised to be their best one yet.

The Work/Play Limited Edition is designed with balance in mind. Every spread has a dot grid page on the left and a blank page on the right. This is a wonderful setup and a fantastic looking notebook that is sure to sell out quickly. Click here to buy yours today !

I was able to ask Baron Fig designer Joey Cofone a few questions on how the Work/Play edition came about:

1. What was the inspiration behind the design of the Work/Play edition?

Good question! We here at Baron Fig are huge proponents of balance. The Work/Play edition came from the desire to manifest that idea in a Confidant. Most would agree that being a hard worker is a valuable quality in a person, but we need to remember that it's equally important to be good at play. This edition reminds us to do both!

2. This is a limited edition, but do you see a black cover Confidant in the standard Baron Fig lineup at some point in the future?

Do you remember the Maker edition? We released it in March to celebrate our anniversary. It had a charcoal cover---and sold out in just a couple of days. That was a solid lesson for us, and I expect the Work/Play to go out in a similar fashion. I can't answer your question directly, but just know that I'm winking at you as I type this.

3. Finally, and this is a big one, why is blank on the right and dot grid on the left, and who had the final say in the decision?

We put a lot of effort into engaging the community, whether it be via email, Facebook, Twitter, or even in person. One particular thought we heard often was, "What if you put two paper types in one book?" It took a while to figure out how that could manifest, but I think we did a great job. In my mind dot grid represents Work and blank represents Play---each spread delivers a message of balance. Hope you enjoy!

The Pen Addict Review of the Baron Fig Work/Play Edition

I've been able to test out the Work/Play edition for the last two weeks thanks to my good friends at Baron Fig. It's a great release, and my favorite so far. The black linen cover alone would have me sold, but the addition of dot grid ruling on one side of the page and blank on the other sealed the deal. Add in a limited release and a wonderful presentation and you have the makings of something great.

From a usage perspective, gel ink pens and pencils of any variety are the standout writing instruments for the Work/Play edition. Gel ink goes on smoothly and colored inks retain their vibrancy. Pencils of all types are exceptional on this paper. There is slight feedback when writing, which is what you want with graphite for the utmost control.

Fountain pens have historically been hit or miss in Baron Fig's offerings. The batch I tested this time around has done better than any I have previously, with only one nib and ink pairing feathering and bleeding. Noodler's Dromgoole Blue Steel in a Franklin-Christoph fine cursive italic nib was the culprit, but then again, this ink feathers on nearly every paper I have tested it on. Other combos - Sailor Jentle Apricot in a Sailor B nib, Pilot Blue Black in a medium cursive italic nib, Platinum black in an EF Nakaya nib - had no feathering or bleeding issues at all. Still, your mileage may vary, especially with wide nibs and wet inks.

The biggest question I had about this edition is would I actually use both sides of the page as designed? I don't know that my brain functions in a way to be able to handle it, but it is done so well it makes me want to try. There is some ghosting on the pages (seen at the top of the above image), with one sides writing able to be seen on the back side of the page, but it is manageable. If you do write on both side of the page you are likely well aware of what type of pen works best for that task. Either that, or you just embrace the situation and write away.

I don't see any reason why the Work/Play edition won't be the most successful Baron Fig limited release yet. It has a lot going for it, including a great team behind the brand. I look forward to filling this book up and keeping a keen eye on what Baron Fig has in store for us all next.

Posted on July 14, 2015 and filed under Featured Sponsor.

The Pen Addict Podcast: Episode 163 - I'm Just Wasting Ink Here

I loved this weeks episode. Myke and I found common ground in many areas, but the topics we disagreed on provoked some great discussion. We hit on personal journaling, the lost art of handwriting, some of my latest purchases, and Myke's newfound love for mechanical pencils.

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

Harry's: An exceptional shave at a fraction of the price. Use code PENADDICT for $5 off your first purchase.

Fracture: Photos printed in vivid color directly on glass. Use code 'PENADDICT' to get 15% off.

Posted on July 14, 2015 and filed under Podcast.

KWZ Gummiberry Iron Gall Ink Review

I’m a fan of Iron gall inks, especially the more modern varieties like this KWZ Gummiberry from Vanness Pens. Iron gall inks can be intimidating if you are unfamiliar with them, but the way companies manufacture ink these days helps keep your pens safer as long as good fountain pen hygeine is used.

KWZ is a brand I have heard of in passing over the last few years. Made in Poland by Konrad Żurawski, the inks are made in small batches. This allows for experimentation with a wide range of colors that I personally haven’t seen before, especially in the iron gall realm.

Lisa Vanness asked me which color of the lineup I wanted to sample, and Gummiberry jumped off the page at me. I have enough blue and blue black inks to last a lifetime, and I’m a fan of Rohrer & Klingner Scabiosa, so I figured I’d see how another purple iron gall ink would compare.

Gummiberry is a grape-colored purple. It hits the page similar in color to the juice found in a grape jelly jar and dries into a color as deep as the deepest recesses of the jelly itself. From a distance, the aged color is nearly black, but a closer look shows that the deep purple color is retained. It has a wonderful look on the page.

Iron gall inks are generally quick drying, and this one is no exception. Even on slick Rhodia paper there was little smudging after 10 seconds, which puts it ahead of most standard inks. The ink is also waterproof, forming a bond with the paper after drying that is not able to be washed out. This is why iron gall inks were the historical standard for important documents and signatures.

As much of a fan of iron gall inks as I am, I am concious that without proper pen maintenance and cleaning I could be opening up myself to problems in my pens down the line. As I mentioned earlier, most iron gall inks these days are tamer than their predacessors and I have no problem keeping them inked in my modern pens for weeks, if not months, at a time. KWZ has an excellent page set up for fountain pens and iron gall ink maintenance that you should read prior to getting into these great inks.

I’m anxious to try more of what KWZ is offering, if nothing else for the colors offered (turquoise iron gall anyone?) My thanks to Vanness Pens for sending me this ink at no charge for review purposes. I’m hooked, and will definitely be purchasing more at the DC Pen Show next month.

Posted on July 13, 2015 and filed under Ink Reviews, Iron Gall, KWZ.